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Maurice was figuring on the swiftness of the current, just 
how many miles an hour it ran at this point, and when 
they were likely to bring up at Morehead. [Page 150] 


The House Boat Boys. 


The House Boat 
Boys 

OR 

DRIFTING DOWN TO 
THE SUNNY SOUTH 


Bs 

ST. GEORGE RATHBORNE 

« 

Author of “CANOE MATES IN CANADA”, “CHUMS IN DIXIE” 
“THE YOUNG FUR TAKERS”. Etc. 




M. A. DONOHUE & CO., 

Chicago 





CANOE AND CAMPFIRE SERIES 



Four Books of Woodcraft, and Adventure in the Forest 
and on the Water, that every Boy Scout should 
have in his Library 

By ST, GEORGE RATHBORNE 


CANOEMATES IN CANADA; or. Three Boys Afloat on the 

THE YOUNG FUR-TAKERS; or. Traps and Trails in the Wilderness. 
THE HOUSE-BOAT BOYS; or. Drifting: Down to the Sunny South. 
CHUMS IN DIXIE; or, The Strange Cruise of a Motor Boat. 

In these four delightful volumes the author has drawn 
bountifully from his thirty-five years experience as a true 
sportsman, and lover of nature, to reveal many of the secrets 
of the woods, such as all Boy Scouts strive to know. And, 
besides, each book is replete with stirring adventures among 
the four-footed denizens, of the wilderness; so that a feast of 
useful knowledge is served up, with just that class of stirring 
incidents so eagerly welcomed by all boys with red blood in 
their veins. For sale wherever books are sold, or sent prepaid 
for 50 cents each by the publishers. 


Copyright, 1912, M. A. Donohue & Co. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTEE PAGE 

I. What a Letter prom a Tramp Steamer 

Did 7 

II. The First Night Afloat 18 

III. Unwelcome Visitors 28 

IV. A Little Run in the Night 38 

V. Hard Put to Keep Warm 48 

VI. In the Game Country 58 

VII. A Wild Blow 68 

VIII. The Terrors of the Storm 77 

IX. Good Old Marlin 88 

X. “Not Today/" Said Thad 103 

XL Nearing the Sunny South 114 

XII. The Lost Trap 122 

XIII. The Face at the Window 133 

XIV. “Morehead — OR BustP 144 

XV. Thad Gets a Shock 159 

XVI. The Trouble That was Met on the 

Road 174 

XVII. An Unexpected Meeting 185 

XVIII. The Great Good News 197 

XIX. Once More Afloat 212 

XX. On a Plantation in Dixie Land 225 

XXL A Night Hunt for Coons 234 

XXII. After Bear in the Canebrake 246 

XXIII. How Maurice Did It 257 

XXIV. Lost in the Cane Wilderness 268 

XXV. Adrift in a Norther 280 

XXVI. A Night in a Louisiana Swamp 290 

XXVII. Shipmates for a Round the World 

Cruise 304 


The House Boat Boys; 

or 

A Voyage to the Gulf. 


CHAPTER I. 

WHAT A LETTEE FEOM A TEAMP STEAMEE DID. 

‘‘I say, what’s gone wrong now, Maurice, 
old fel?” 

The speaker, a roughly clad boy of about 
fifteen or over, caught hold of his companion’s 
sleeve and looked sympathetically in his face. 

The lad whom he called Maurice was better 
dressed, and he seemed to carry with him a 
certain air of refinement that was lacking in 
his friend, who was of a rougher nature. De- 
spite this difference he and Thad Tucker were 
the closest of chums, sharing each other’s joys 
and disappointments, small though they might 
be. 

They had met just now at the postoffice of 
a little country town not many miles below 
Evansville, Indiana, as the afternoon mail was 
being sorted. 


8 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


The yellow flood of the great Ohio River 
could be seen from where they stood, glowing 
in the early November sunshine. 

Upon being greeted with these words Mau- 
rice Pemberton shook his head dolefully. 

‘‘It’s come, just as IVe been half expecting 
it these four months, Thad. The old couple I 
live with have sold their house and leave for 
Chicago in a week. That turns me out into the 
streets, for you know they’ve given me a home 
ever since mother, who was a friend of Mrs. 
Jasper, died; and in return I’ve tried to make 
good by doing all their gardening and other 
work between school hours. Now a son has 
sent for them to come and make their home 
with him. Pretty tough on a fellow not to 
know where he’s going to sleep after a single 
week.” 

But Thad was smiling now, as though an 
idea had flashed into his head that gave him 
reason for something akin to pleasure. 

“Well, I don’t know; if it comes to the 
worst, Pard Maurice, you’re a dozen times 
welcome to share my old bunky on the shanty- 
boat. I’d just love to make another cot like 
mine, and have you there. Say, wouldn’t it 
be grand? Of course, though, you’d And it 
a pretty poor contraption alongside the house 
you’ve lived in; but if it was a thousand dollar 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


9 


launch still you’d be just as welcome, and you 
know it,” he said with a heartiness that could 
not be misunderstood. 

The other looked at him affectionately, and 
was about to say something in return when 
the window of the postoffice was thrown open 
as a signal that the mail had been distributed. 
So Maurice stepped up to secure the usual 
papers, together with an occasional letter, that 
came for the Jaspers. 

Thad saw him start and look curiously at 
one letter, and then begin to tear the end off 
as though it were meant for him. 

Watching curiously, all unaware how his- 
tory was making at that identical moment for 
himself and Maurice, he saw the other smile 
and nod his head, while an expression of de- 
light gradually crept over his face. 

Then Maurice remembered that his chum 
was standing there waiting for him to come, 
and together they passed out of the little 
office^. 

‘‘If that doesn’t beat the Dutch!” Maurice 
was saying, half to himself, as he looked at the 
letter he was holding in a hand that trembled 
a little despite his efforts to seem composed. 

“It cert does,” declared Thad, positively; 
and then both laughed. 

“Excuse me, old fellow, for not speaking 


10 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


up and letting you into the facts; but you can 
see for yourself that the thing’s kind of stag- 
gering me a bit. Just to think of its coming 
today of all times, when I’m most in need of a 
home. Talk to me about chance; I guess 
there’s something better than accident about 
this.” 

‘‘All right; I agree with you, Pard Maurice; 
but suppose you let a little light in on my 
dumb brain. Where’s the letter from, and 
what does she say?” observed the other, eye- 
ing the envelope dubiously, for he had a sud- 
den fear that it meant the sundering of the ties 
that bound them together. 

“New Orleans, and it comes from Uncle 
Ambrose — you’ve often heard me speak of 
him, and that he was a captain on a tramp 
steamer that went all over the world picking 
up cargoes. For three years I’ve lost track of 
him, but he hasn’t quite forgotten his nephew 
Maurice it seems. Listen to what he says, 
after telling me how he’s beginning to feel 
lonely without a relative near, and growing 
old all the time. Sit down here where we can 
look out on the bully old river, while I read,” 

Thad dropped beside him on a stone, and 
cuddled his arms around his knees in a favor- 
ite attitude of his, while he prepared to listen. 

“We are billed to be back here in New Or- 


OE, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


11 


leans about the fifteenth of February, and if 
you can make it, my boy, I’d like to see you 
here then. I Ve got a berth as supercargo open 
to you, and there’s a fine chance to see some- 
thing of the world; for in the course of three 
years we are apt to visit the seven seas, and 
many strange countries. Be sure and come if 
you care to take up with your old uncle. The 
older I grow the stronger the ties that bind 
to the past appeal to me, and it will make me 
happier to have one of my own blood aboard 
to share my travels. From your affectionate 
uncle. Ambkose Haddon. 

‘‘On board the Campertown, 

“Bully! That’s just fine for you, Maurice; 
but don’t you think the captain forgot one 
thing?” declared Thad. 

“What’s that?” asked his friend, looking 
puzzled. 

“Why didn’t he think to enclose the price 
of a ticket from here to New Orleans? He 
might have known money didn’t grow on 
bushes around here.” 

Maurice laughed. 

“I always heard Uncle Ambrose was forget- 
ful of small things, and I guess it’s true. Never 
once entered his head when he was writing. 
Perhaps it may later, and he’ll think to en- 
close the money from some foreign port. Why, 


12 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


would you believe it, he didn’t even mention 
where the steamer was going to next; only re- 
marked that they sailed in a day or so. But 
the tone of the letter is warm, and — why, of 
course I must accept the invitation. It just 
seems to come in now at the one time I need 
it most. You wouldn’t want me to let it pass, 
would you, Thad?” 

‘‘I should say not, even if it does hurt some 
to think of you going away and me staying in 
this bum old place,” said his friend, quickly 
giving Maurice an affectionate look that spoke 
volumes. 

^‘If I could only go, too. I’m dead sure 
uncle would be glad to have you with me on 
board; and think of the glorious times we 
could have. Why, it seems too good to be true, 
doesn’t it?” 

^‘I guess it does for me. I’d like to go the 
worst kind, but where would I pick up the 
money to pay my way? Of course I might 
float down the Mississippi on the Tramp all 
right, given time enough; but that would be 
kind of lonely business for one; now if you 
could only — say, I wonder — oh, bosh, of course 
you wouldn’t want to even think of it,” and 
he dropped his head dejectedly. 

‘‘Wouldn’t think of what? Why don’t 
you go on and flnish? You’ve got some sort 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


13 


of a fine scheme in your head, so explain,’’ de- 
manded Maurice, quickly. 

‘‘I was just thinking, that’s all, what a great 
time we might have if we did start out in my 
little bum boat to make New Orleans. There’s 
three months ahead of us, and scores of shanty- 
boats float down from Cincinnati to Orleans 
every fall and winter — ^you know that. Gee ! 
what fun we could have!” and the two boys 
started at each other for half a dozen seconds 
without saying a word; but those looks were 
more eloquent than all the language ever 
uttered. 

Then Maurice thrust out his hand impul- 
sively. 

‘‘Shake! Do you really think we could do 
it, Thad?” he exclaimed. 

“Do I? Why, it would be as easy as pie. 
Think of it; all you have to do is to let the cur- 
rent carry you along. It’s a snap, that’s 
what!” cried the other, brimming over with 
enthusiasm. 

Ah! Thad was yet to learn that a thousand 
unforeseen difficulties lay in wait for those 
floating craft that drifted down the great 
water highway every winter; but “in the 
bright lexicon of youth there is no such word 
as fail,” and to his eyes the enterprise was a 
veritable voyage of pleasure, nothing less. 


14 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


‘^Then we’ll go!” declared Maurice, with 
vim, shaking his chum’s hand furiously. 
‘‘Given a week to get my traps together, sell 
what I don’t want, lay in some provisions, buy 
a few things, like a flannel shirt and cordiiroy 
trousers after the style of those you wear, and 
I’ll be ready. Say, Thad, what a day this has 
turned out after all, and I was just thinking it 
the blackest ever.’ 

“It’s made me mighty happy, I know,” as- 
serted Thad, with tears in his honest blue 
eyes; “for I’d just hated to lose you, old boy, 
sure I would.” 

“Just to think of our launching on that 
great old river and starting for such a long 
voyage ; it’s immense, that’s what. I’ve always 
wanted to see something of the old Mississippi 
and to think that the chance has come. Why, 
it’s like magic, that’s what. A flip of the hand 
and everything is changed. The opening of 
Uncle Ambrose’s letter must have been the 
turning point in my life — our lives, Thad. Oh, 
I am so glad I hardly know what to do.” 

“Ditto here. On my part I’ll put the week 
in tinkering on the old barge, for she can stand 
some improvement, I guess. When that flsher- 
man gave her to me on going to the hospital, 
from which the poor fellow never came back, 
he said he always intended dropping down the 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


15 


river to the gulf in her; but I never dreamed 
I’d be the one to navigate the Tramp that way. 
I can hardly wait to get back. I want to be at 
work making those changes, and building 
your bunk.” 

^‘Just like you, Thad, always ready to do 
something for another fellow,” declared his 
chum, affectionately. 

‘‘Oh! shucks! that’s where the best part of 
the fun comes in. And how lucky it is you’ve 
got a gun, Maurice, for there will be lots of 
chances while we travel down stream to pick 
up a mess of ducks, some snipe, and perhaps 
a big goose or two. Bob Fletcher told me he 
had shot ’em off the bars down the Missis- 
sippi.” 

“Eight you are, Thad,” cried the other. 

“And if our supplies and money run out, 
why, we can sure stop in some place and get 
work, I reckon. Then there’s fish to be had 
for the catching, and you know I’m up to all 
the wrinkles about that job, seeing that I’ve 
been supplying many families here with the 
finnies during the summer and fall. Say, can 
you come down tonight, and talk it all over 
aboard our palatial houseboat? We can ar- 
range all the things we want to do, make out 
a list of supplies that are sure to be needed. 


16 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


no flimsies or luxuries allowed, and in the 
morning Vll get to work.’’ 

‘‘Of course I’ll come, after supper. Still in 
the old cove, are you?” 

“Yes. I’ve got a stout lock on the door 
now, and every time I leave the shanty I drag 
my litle canoe, as I call it, into the house. If I 
didn’t some thief would run off with it sure. 
They’re a tough crowd around here, the boys 
I mean. Wonder if we’ll run up against many 
as bad when we journey along?” remarked 
Thad; and in good time he would learn that 
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers constitute 
what might easily be termed the “Rogues’ 
Highway,” since hundreds of tough characters 
make use of the current in order to slip from 
one borough that has grown too hot for their 
comfort to another where they are not known. 

But perhaps it is just as well that we do 
not see the difficulties that lie in our path, lest 
they daunt us by their multitude; coming one 
at a time we are enabled to wrestle with the 
trials and tribulations, and overcome them 
gradually. 

FiUed with enthusiasm the two lads plunged 
into the task they had laid out, and long ere 
the seven days had expired were ready for the 
voyage over unknown waters; the little shan- 
tyboat had been thoroughly repaired, and 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


17 


changes in her interior made, looking to the 
comfort of the crew, and all supplies brought 
aboard that the limited means of the boys 
would allow; so that on the tenth of November 
all was in readiness for the launching. 


18 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER II. 

THE FIEST NIGHT AFLOAT. 

It was a frosty morning, but something more 
than that would be needed to dampen the en- 
thusiasm and ardor of the two lads who 
pushed out from the river bank where a little 
creek flowed into the Ohio’s flood, and started 
upon what was to be a momentous voyage. 

Several of Maurice’s boy friends were on 
hand to wish them the best of luck, and with 
the cheers of these fellows ringing in their ears 
they moved out upon the swift current of the 
river. 

When the group of boys had vanished and 
the cruisers found themselves beyond the con- 
flnes of the town they had called home for 
some years, all attention was given to what lay 
before them. 

The boat had been urged out into the stream 
by a dextrous use of the sweep made for that 
purpose, and which, with the exception of a 
couple of long poles, was the only method 
aboard for steering the craft; and as it was 
not their design to get too far away from shore 
until they were better versed in the navigable 
qualities of the Tramp, the boys sat in com- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


19 


fortable positions and talked, watching the 
panorama as they drifted along. 

Indeed, there always is something fascinat- 
ing about such a method of travel that must 
appeal to almost any boy; for in spite of the 
uplifting tendencies of education, and the re- 
fining influences of homes, there remains in 
the hearts of most lads, and men as well, a 
peculiar longing for a spell of tramp existence 
— it is satisfied after a short period in the open 
and the wilds, when the comforts of home 
appeal just as strongly to the exile. 

No doubt this yearning for getting close to 
the heart of Nature is an inherited trait, com- 
ing down to us from our remote ancestors, and 
will never be wholly eradicated from our sys- 
tems. 

And these two lads could enjoy it to the full, 
for neither of them had known the delights of 
a real home for many years — ^in fact Thad, 
never. 

They made many plans while sitting there, 
and as time passed and new views were con- 
stantly opening before them, both seemed 
agreed that it had been an inspiration that had 
caused Thad to suggest this voyage, with the 
far-away Crescent City as their goal. 

Thad had, indeed, done fairly creditable 


20 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


work in fixing up the interior of the house 
upon the float. 

There were a couple of bunks that in the 
daytime could be raised so that they lay flat 
against the wall, and out of the way, since 
room was at a premium inside the shanty, with 
a cook stove, a table, a trunk and various other 
things filling space. 

From numerous hooks in a couple of corners 
their clothes hung; then about the little stove, 
which was to give them warmth and furnish 
the heat to cook their meals, several frying 
pans and tin kettles hung, while a tea kettle 
sung a soft song of contentment that seemed 
to fit in with the spirit possessing the two 
cruisers. 

A supply of firewood occupied a box ar- 
ranged for its accommodation, and there was 
considerable more of the same outside; while 
a new axe gave promise of any needed amoimt, 
dependent only upon willing muscles, and an 
ability to swing the same freely. 

There was the gun Thad had mentioned, 
hanging from a couple of nails — ^true, it might 
not be called a beauty, for it was an old type 
Marlin, and much battered by service; but 
then Maurice had on many occasions proved 
its shooting qualities, and that, after all, is the 
true test of a firearm. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


21 


It was a double-barrel twelve bore, capable 
of knocking down even a big goose, provided 
the right charge was in the shell, and the 
eye that glanced along the tubes knew its busi- 
ness and could hold on the moving game. 

At noon they were passing Henderson, Ky., 
and changing their course to the west, for the 
river makes a tremendous sweep )3efore get- 
ting anywhere near Mt. Vernon, forming a 
gigantic horseshoe as it were, the last part of 
the turn bringing the voyager with his face 
into the northeast. 

Throughout the whole livelong day the little 
shantyboat continued to sweep along with the 
current, which was something like four miles 
an hour at this point, though it exceeds that 
considerably when the river rises, or the wind 
comes out of the north and east. 

About 4 o^clock they passed Mt. Vernon, for 
which both boys were glad, as they did not en- 
joy the thought of tying up on this, their first 
night afioat, close to a strange town. 

They were apt to be pestered by curious vis- 
itors, and perhaps boys bent on pranks that 
might cost the travelers dear, since some of 
these fellows would not think anything about 
setting fire to a boat, and laugh to watch the 
frantic efforts of the owners to extinguish the 
flames. 


22 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


When the dusk was beginning to gather on 
the moving waters, Thad spied what seemed 
to be the mouth of a good-sized creek below. 

As they were just then skirting the shore 
with the intention of pulling in at the first 
chance, it was not much of an effort to turn 
the boat so that they could pole into the mouth 
of the stream and go up it some distance. 

Thad’s steering oar seemed to work to a 
charm, and he was more than a little pleased 
with his work in that direction; for much of 
the pleasure of the long voyage was apt to de- 
pend upon the ability with which they could 
guide their clumsy craft when an emergency 
arose. 

Fortunately the creek seemed quite de- 
serted; they had feared lest some other boat 
like their own might have preempted their 
claim, and the owners endeavor to make it dis- 
agreeable for them. 

Not that either of the boys felt timid, for 
they were both built along the line of fighters, 
and ready to hold their own with any chap of 
their size, or larger; but until they became 
used to this strange method of living they 
would rather not run into any trouble if it 
could be decently avoided. 

Once the boat was secured to a tree ashore, 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


23 


they began to get busy with preparations for 
supper. 

While floating down-stream Thad, who was 
a bom flsherman, and always looking for a 
chance to snatch a mess of the finny tribe out 
of the water, had kept a couple of baited lines 
dangling behind; and during the afternoon 
several bites had resulted in a couple of cap- 
tures, both being of an edible variety, known 
along the Ohio as buffalo fish, the two weigh- 
ing possibly four pounds. 

Thus they were supplied with the substan- 
tial end of a meal without the cost of a penny. 

Thad had cleaned the fish as fast as caught, 
so that all they had to do now was to slap them 
on the frying pan, after a bit of salt pork had 
been allowed to simmer, salt and pepper to 
taste, and then turn when necessary. 

Meanwhile Maurice had made a pot of cof- 
fee, and set the table. 

A cloth would have been the height of ab- 
surdity on such a trip as this. Maurice had 
settled that part of the business by tacking 
white oilcloth over their single table, and this 
answered the purpose admirably, besides be- 
ing easily kept clean. 

Ain’t it great. Captain?” asked Thad, as 
they sat there enjoying the meal by the light 


24 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


of the two lanterns hanging from hooks in the 
rafters of the cabin roof. 

Thad had insisted that Maurice be the skip- 
per of the expedition, because of his superior 
knowledge of boats in general, and also his 
possessing the chart of the rivers. 

For himself he wanted to be called the Cook, 
and declared that he felt proud of his ability 
to fling flapjacks and do various stunts in con- 
nection with getting up appetizing meals. 

Nevertheless, it might be noticed that just 
as frequently the Captain insisted on taking 
his turn at the fire or washing the tin dishes 
after the meal; while the Cook was able and 
wiling to stand his ‘‘trick at the wheel’’ when 
the occasion arose. This was, of course, 
stretching the imagination pretty far, since 
their only means of propulsion or steering 
rested in that sweep. 

Maurice admitted that it was indeed delight- 
ful, and the look on his face quite satisfied the 
anxious Thad that as yet he could not see the 
slightest cloud on the horizon to make him re- 
gret starting. 

For bread they had brought several loaves 
along; neither of them had the nerve to think 
of baking the staff of life in that disreputable 
oven, even had they known how. 

Later on, however, Maurice did turn out 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


25 


some ‘‘pretty fair’’ biscuits — ^that is, the boys 
thought them good, and they were the ones to 
say, since it was their appetites that had to be 
satisfied, not those of some finicky girl who 
might have turned up her nose in horror at 
the “abominations” these lads called fine. 

Thad smoked, while Maurice had never 
taken to the habit as yet; but he did not dislike 
the odor of tobacco, and hence his chum was 
not compelled to always enjoy the solace of his 
pipe outdoors in uncongenial weather, though 
as a rule he preferred to sit there by the rud- 
der and puff away, while his thoughts ran riot, 
as those of a boy usually will. 

When the meal was over and the dishes 
washed, marking the close of their first day, 
the lights were extinguished and the boys sat 
outside for a short time. 

With the gathering of night, however, the 
air was growing colder again, so that they 
were soon glad to seek the shelter of the cabin. 

Maurice made sure to draw the shades fully 
over the windows, for he did not wish to ad- 
vertise the fact of their being in that cove to 
every passerby. 

They knew that a road ran close to the 
water, having heard a wagon passing over a 
bridge not fifty feet away earlier in the even- 
ing. 


26 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


One thing they had been wise in doing — 
while the little boat that trailed behind the 
larger craft could not be said to possess any 
particular pecuniary value, it was of consider- 
able necessity to the travelers, and repre- 
sented their only means of getting around in 
a hurry, or going ashore when the water was 
too shallow to admit of the flat reaching the 
bank. 

In order to prevent possible loss from some 
prank of mischievous boys or thieving ne- 
groes, Maurice had secured a long and stout 
chain, with a padlock, and at night this was 
so attached to the dinky that no one could 
sneak the stumpy little craft away without the 
use of a hatchet to chop out the staple; and 
while this was being done the owners of the 
Tramp would surely be getting extremely busy 
also with gun and axe. 

^‘How does it go?” asked the owner of the 
shantyboat, as he saw Maurice settle down in 
his bunk, and draw the blankets around him 
with the air of one who did not expect to be 
disturbed for a long spell. 

‘‘Hunky-dory. Beats my old bed at home by 
a long shot. There’s no use talking, Thad, 
you’re built for a carpenter, sure pop, and if 
there’s any vacancy aboard the Campertown 
in that line I’m going to induce Uncle Am- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


27 


brose to let you fill it. Douse the glim when- 
ever you’re ready, Cook. I hope I won’t have 
to crawl out of this bully berth until morn- 
ing,” was the reply of the other, that brought 
a smile of satisfaction to Thad’s face, for it 
is always pleasant to know that one’s labor is 
appreciated. 

So Thad blew out the one _antern which they 
had been using since coming in the second 
time, and then crawled into his own bunk. As 
he had been occupying this for half a year or 
more of course he was very familiar with its 
features, both good and poor and made no 
comment as he retired. 

The two boys soon passed into the land of 
slumber, and as the hours drew on no sound 
arose to waken them; indeed, outside all was 
still save the gurgle of the great river near at 
hand, the swishing of running water against 
the sturdy bow of the shantyboat, a hoarse 
cry from some bird that fluttered along the 
shore looking for food, possibly a night heron 
passing over, and once or twice the hoarse 
whistle of some steamboat breasting the cur- 
rent of the mighty Ohio. 

And the first night of their eventful cruise 
passed away, with everything well when the 
peep of dawn aroused them from slumber to a 
new day. 


28 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER m. 

UNWELCOME VISITORS. 

‘ ^ Hello, Maurice ! ’ ’ 

The call came from Thad, who had been the 
first to step outdoors after getting into his 
clothes. 

^‘What now?” came the muffled answer, for 
Maurice was pulling a sweater over his head at 
the moment. 

‘‘Come out here, will you. We’re in a peck 
of trouble, I reckon,” continued the voice from 
beyond the door; and accordingly Maurice 
made haste to leave the cabin. 

He found Thad with a pole in his hand, 
shoving against the bank until he was as red 
as a turkey gobbler in the face. 

“What’s doing here — ^why all this scrim- 
mage?” naturally sprang from the lips of the 
mystified one. 

“Stuck fast — river taken a sudden notion to 
go down while we snoozed, and has left us on 
the mud. I don’t seem able to budge the thing 
an inch; but perhaps the two of us might,” re- 
turned Thad, grinning sheepishly as he con- 
templated the result of their indiscretion. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


29 


Maurice grasped the significance of the situ- 
ation and looked grave. 

The river, as he well knew, was always a 
freakish thing, and apt to rise or fall at any 
time, according to the amount of rainfall along 
its feeders. 

Just now it had commenced to rapidly de- 
cline, and as a result the shanty-boat had been 
grounded. 

As it was a heavy affair, once let it fairly 
settle upon the ooze of the creek bed and no 
power they could bring to bear would be suf- 
ficient to start it on its way; and hence they 
must stay there, marooned, until the river took 
a notion to rise again, which might be in a 
day, a week or three months. 

That was a pleasant lookout for a couple of 
boys bound south, and with winter close upon 
their heels — in a week or two they might be 
frozen in so securely that there would be no 
possibility of release until spring. 

No wonder, then, that Maurice looked seri- 
ous as he sprang to the side of the boat and 
stared over at the water of the creek. 

It was running out — ^they should have known 
of the danger upon hearing the gurgle during 
the night; but somehow, lacking experience, 
they had thought nothing of it save that the 


30 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


sound was a musical lullaby, soothing them to 
slumber. 

They would know better another time, and 
not fasten their craft to the shore in a shallow 
creek when the river was at a stand or fall- 
ing; it takes experience to learn some of the 
tricky ways of these western rivers ; but once 
understood the cruiser is not apt to be caught 
a second time. 

Maurice snatched up the second pole and 
threw his weight upon it, while Thad also 
strained himself to the utmost ; they could feel 
the boat move ever so little, but it was most 
discouraging, to be sure. 

Some other means must be employed if they 
hoped to get the Tramp off the slimy bed be- 
fore she settled there for good. 

Maurice was equal to the occasion. 

‘^The block and tackle does it!” he ex- 
claimed, darting into the cabin. 

What mattered it if the rope was second 
hand, and the block creaked for want of grease 
— that last fault was speedily rectified; and 
having fastened one end of the line to a tree 
on the opposite side of the creek, the boys 
secured a purchase and then exerted them- 
selves to the utmost. 

It was a success, for now they had a firm 
foundation, whereas with the poles it was 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


31 


partly a case of lost force, the soft nature of 
the ground preventing them from doing their 
best. 

Impulsive Thad gave a cheer when the boat 
began to move in response to their united en- 
deavor, and presently glided off her slippery 
bed into the deeper channel of the creek 

close shave,’’ declared Maurice, wiping 
the perspiration from his forehead, and sur- 
veying the late resting place of the shanty- 
boat with satisfaction. 

‘‘I should remark,” echoed his chum, danc- 
ing a hornpipe on the deck; ^‘just think what 
if we had been stuck here a week or two ; all 
our grub gone, and the dickens to pay with 
our plans. Never again for me. I’m going 
to be the most careful chap when it comes to 
tying up to a bank with this craft you ever 
saw.” 

^‘I’ll get the line loose while you start up 
the fire. Then we’ll push out of here and cook 
breakfast while we fioat downstream. Every 
mile made now may save us trouble later ; for 
you know what old Pap Larkin told us about 
sudden freezes coming sometimes in Novem- 
ber, and we want to get in the big river before 
we strike anything like that.” 

In less than ten minutes they were moving 


32 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


out of the mouth of the creek, with the river, 
half wreathed in fog, lying before them. 

We ’ll have to keep a good lookout, unless 
we want to run a chance of cutting down some 
river steamer coming upstream,” laughed 
Thad. 

‘‘Oh, that’s easily avoided by keeping close 
in by the shore until this mist rises, which I 
calculate it will do by 9 o’clock or so,” replied 
Maurice, using his pole to advantage, so as to 
send the boat out upon the current of the river, 
where they were speedily moving merrily 
along. 

It was a delight to cook breakfast with such 
surroundings, and a constantly changing pan- 
orama along the shore. 

Never did bacon have such a delicious odor ; 
and when the co:ffee boiled up, sending its fra- 
grance throughout the cabin and out of the 
partly open door, Maurice, who was attending 
to the steering part of the business at the time, 
loudly bewailed the fact that he must wait five 
long minutes more ere satisfying the craving 
appetite that these suggestions of breakfast 
put on edge. 

While they were still eating they passed a 
place on the Kentucky side that from the map 
they believed to be XJniontown, which proved 
that they were making fair progress while sit- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


33 


ting around — which is one of the finest things 
in connection with drifting south. 

As Maurice said it reminded him of a gar- 
den that grew while the proprietor slept, for 
they could count on so many miles a day with 
ordinary good luck, and not a hand put out 
to urge the craft along. 

While both these boys had spent much of 
their lives upon the banks of the Ohio, and 
were accustomed to the various sights familiar 
to all river dwellers, at the same time things 
had a vastly different appearance now that 
they were afioat and actually drawing a little 
nearer and nearer to the sunny southland with 
each passing hour. 

They were in good spirits all the time, and 
hailed other voyagers with the customary salu- 
tations suitable to the occasion. 

It became no unusual thing to see one or 
two fiatboats with cabins something like their 
own, either drifting lazily along the stream or 
tied up close to the bank ; for, as has been said 
before, the river is a muchly traveled highway, 
and the types of people that make use of it 
in their annual pilgrimages south must prove 
of tremendous interest to any one fond of 
studying humanity. 

It was a banner day for the travelers, clear 
and fairly pleasant, one that in the rougher 


34 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


times ahead would always be looked back to 
as a period to be envied. 

They made great progress, too, and when 
the afternoon sun waning in the west warned 
them that it was time to keep their eyes about 
for a decent place in which to pass the night, 
Maurice calculated that they had come all of 
forty miles since morning, which was making 
quite a gap in the distance separating them 
from the junction of the two rivers. 

The air was growing colder, and Thad, who 
professed to be something of a weather sharp, 
declared that they were in for a touch of win- 
ter very speedily, which made them both long 
to get out of the clutches of the Ohio before 
ice formed and impeded their progress. 

Maurice scouted any chance of this happen- 
ing ; it might have been more serious had they 
been cruising in a small boat which must find 
a safe harbor every night in some creek; be- 
cause it might grow cold enough to freeze such 
a craft in some night, or at least shut those 
harbors of refuge to entrance; but with such 
a big and stanch craft they could tie up to the 
shore and pay little attention to the inrolling 
waves cast by the suction of passing steam- 
boats. 

This night they found a chance to secure the 
shantyboat to some rocks ; and as the neighbor- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


35 


hood seemed lonely, they chose to go ashore 
and build a fire on the sandy stretch that ran 
under the shelving bank. 

Just for a change they cooked supper ashore, 
too, for it would be seldom that this sort of 
an opportunity might come to them, and they 
felt that they ought to take advantage of it 
while it lasted. 

Already had the wind shifted to the north- 
west, and it was cold enough to make them seek 
the leeward side of the fire while eating 
supper. 

They had gone aboard to see about the fire, 
and Maurice was lying on a bed of dead grass 
and moss looking into the glowing depths of 
the fire and allowing his thoughts to go out to 
the wonderful possibilities of the beckoning 
future, with Uncle Ambrose as the good fairy 
who was to lead him into strange lands that 
he had always wanted to see, when a bit of 
turf falling upon his arm caused him to sud- 
denly glance upward. 

To his surprise and a little to his consterna- 
tion he beheld three black faces surveying him 
from over the edge of the bank; nor did he 
fancy the expression that could be seen upon 
the said countenances. 

Upon seeing that their presence was no 


36 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


longer unknown to the boy below, the trio of 
darkies dropped over the bank. 

Closer inspection failed to add to the good 
opinion of Maurice, for the fellows bore all 
the earmarks of desperadoes, possibly belong- 
ing to that class of nomads who prowl along 
the shores of these western rivers, picking up 
a living by doing odd jobs, and stealing when- 
ever they think it can be done with safety. 

Hello, boss! Done takin’ it easy, I spects. 
Got any Ejections ter weuns warmin’ up a lit- 
tle by dat fiah? Gittin’ powful cold, boss, an’ 
it jes’ happens we ain’t got nary a match in 
our clo’s, dat’s a fack,” said the leader, ad- 
vancing eagerly and holding out his hands to- 
ward the blaze. 

‘‘Why, of course not, boys ; make yourselves 
at home. I was just going aboard anyway, 
and the fire’s yours,” remarked Maurice, 
rising. 

He saw the three roughs looks quickly to- 
ward each other, and noted that one of them 
had slipped between him and the boat, as 
though it might be their intention to prevent 
his leaving. 

It was evident that there was trouble brew- 
ing, and unless it was nipped in the bud some- 
thing of a fight would take place. 

That they would stand no show whatever in 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


37 


the hands of these rascals, alone as they were 
in this isolated place, Maurice knew full well, 
but he would not allow himself to show any 
sign of fear lest in this way he precipitate the 
trouble. 

Perhaps these men had been watching them 
for some time, and knew there were only a 
couple of boys on the shantyboat, so that it 
would be useless to call out as if several husky 
men constituted the crew. 

Maurice did not wish to come within arms’ 
length of the negro who had slipped between 
himself and the boat, lest the fellow seize upon 
him, so that he was in a quandary how to act 
in order to gain his haven of refuge. 

The puzzle was solved in a way he had not 
anticipated, for just as the wicked-looking 
black tramp was putting out his hand to grasp 
him, as he pulled back, a voice broke upon the 
silence, the voice of his comrade Thad, saying : 

‘^I’d be mighty careful how I laid a hand 
on that boy, you there!” 


38 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER IV. 

A LITTLE EUN IN THE NIGHT. 

When Thad thus broke in upon the little 
drama being enacted upon the strip of beach 
under the overhanging bank of the river the 
three negroes, as well as Maurice, looked to- 
ward the deck of the boat. 

By the light of the fire on the sand Thad 
was seen holding the old Marlin in his hands, 
and keeping the frowning muzzles of the two- 
barrel gun pointed in the direction of the black 
tramp who had seemed about to interfere with 
the passage of Maurice to the boat. 

Evidently none of the fellows were armed, 
at least with shooting irons, for it was almost 
ludicrous to see the rapidity with which they 
threw up their arms and showed signs of sur- 
render. 

‘‘Don’t let dat little buster go off, mister. 
We ain’t meanin’ yuh no ha’m, ’deed we ain’t 
now. We’s jes’ de most inner contest coons 
yuh eber seed, we is. All we asks is a chanct 
tub wawm our fingers by dis ere blaze, an’ I 
reckons yuh won’t keer ’bout dat, massa,” ex- 
claimed the leader, in a whining tone. 

Maurice took advantage of the opportunity 
to walk around the fellow who had interfered 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


39 


with his free passage, and gain the deck of the 
boat, when Thad immediately turned the gun 
over to him. 

Evidently the boys were in for a bad time 
of it. 

These wandering blacks might want to lie 
around the fire all night, and sleep would be 
impossible for both lads at the same time, since 
there must be a watch kept lest the rascals 
rob them during the hours of darkness. 

Maurice knew that it was best to take the 
situation in hand right then and there in the 
start ; he also was aware of the fact that these 
negroes only yielded to force, and that any 
attempt to gain their good will would be abso- 
lutely wasted; for Southern boys learn that 
early in life, and so it is they can manage the 
shiftless population that is employed to work 
on the plantations, while Northern men make 
the mistake of treating such negroes too well. 

Accordingly Maurice took the bull by the 
horns. 

^^See here, you fellows, we don’t object to 
your having all the fire you want, but we’re 
not going to stand having you camp right there 
all night. Go down the shore or up a hundred 
yards or so, and take some of the fire with you. 
Then one of you come back here and get a big 
fish we have no use for. I reckon you know 


40 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


how to cook it without a pan. Anyhow, it’s 
all we can let you have, for we’re on short ra- 
tions ourselves. Dye understand, boys?” he 
said. 

Maurice could assume quite an air of author- 
ity when he chose; it seemed to be a portion 
of his birthright; and these lazy blacks are 
quick to recognize this vein in the voice of any- 
one with whom they come in contact. 

‘‘All right, boss. We don’t wanter tub dis- 
turb yuh, an’ we’ll go up de sho’ er bit. Dat 
fish he taste mighty fine, I reckons, mister, an ’ 
we sho’ be powful glad tug git ’im, dat’s so. 
Hyah, yuh lazy good-for-nothin’ brack niggah, 
pick up some ob dat fiah an’ tote it up yander 
whah de p’int juts out. Dat look good enuff 
fur dis chile. An’ boss, ef yuh gut dat ere 
fish handy I cud kerry hit wid me right now,” 
remarked the strapping leader. 

“Get it, Thad,” said Maurice, in a low tone, 
not wishing to take his eye off the trio of des- 
peradoes for a moment, not knowing what they 
might attempt, for if ever he had seen jail- 
birds loose it was just then. 

So Thad stepped around the cabin and took 
down the big “buffalo” that was hanging by a 
cord so that the night air would keep it in 
decent condition ; it had come in on one of his 
lines that afternoon, and they really had little 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


41 


use for such a quantity of fish; indeed, both 
boys were already a little tired of a diet of 
the products of the river, and yearned for 
different fare. 

The darky ashore caught the finny prize, 
and his eyes glistened at its size ; but Maurice 
knew full well that this act of benevolence on 
their part would not serve to protect them a 
particle from the thieving propensities of the 
nomads if a chance were given to purloin any- 
thing. 

In ten minutes they could see a fire up on 
the point of land and hear the loud voices of 
the three blacks disputing over various things 
—evidently they were a noisy crowd, and the 
prospects for a quiet night did not loom up 
very brilliantly. Maurice listened and his 
brow clouded over. 

don’t like the prospect a little bit, Thad,” 
he remarked, as a louder burst of profanity 
than usual marked a near fight above. 

‘^We’re in for a tough night, it seems,” 
sighed his chum, dismally. 

‘^Oh! as to that, I don’t know. It all de- 
pends whether we have the nerve to cut the 
Gordian knot,” observed Maurice, grimly. 

His friend looked hastily at him, for the fire 
was still burning fitfully on the shore, though 
robbed of its best brands by the negroes. 


42 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


^‘What dye think of doing — running those 
critters off — gee, it’s a big proposition for a 
couple of boys, Maurice.” 

“The running’s all right, but you get the 
cart before the horse. It’s us who are to do 
the skipping, while they enjoy that fish a little 
later. All depends on whether we care to take 
the chances of fioating down a mile or two 
further in the dark, and finding a place to tie 
up. If we don’t it’s a case of fioating on all 
night, and running the risk of a collision.” 

“I say go. Why, we’ve got an anchor, you 
know, and the current ain’t so very swift near 
shore but what it’d hold when we chose to drop 
her over. If we stay here one of us has to 
be on guard all night, and even then I believe 
those black jailbirds would be ugly enough to 
try and burn us up or something like that — 
steal our pumpkin-seed boat perhaps. Yes, 
I’m in favor of cutting loose,” declared Thad, 
eagerly. 

“All right; consider it settled. We’ll just 
wait until we think they’re busy with the fish 
and then one of us must go ashore while the 
other covers him with the gun, and undo the 
line from those rocks. After that it will be 
easy.” 

Half an hour passed away. 

Then, as the sounds had died out above, they 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


43 


fancied the trio of unwelcome neighbors must 
be busily employed in eating, so Thad volun- 
teered to drop ashore and get the rope loose 
from its anchorage. 

Maurice was a little skeptical about the ap- 
parent freedom from surveillance, and stood 
on deck with the shotgun in his hands ready 
to spring to the assistance of his pard at the 
slightest sign of trouble. 

But Thad met with no opposition when he 
climbed to where the loop of the rope was se- 
cured over the pinnacle of rock, and in a min- 
ute he had freed the line, tossing it down on 
the beach where it could be pulled aboard. 

When his comrade was again alongside, 
Maurice breathed easier; this was their first 
adventure, and it was apt to make a deep im- 
pression on both lads. 

A dozen pulls sufficed^ to bring the rope 
aboard and then the poles were taken in hand 
with the idea of shoving off from the shore. 

They had been careful not to let the boat 
ground, remembering their experience of the 
previous night, so this part of the job was not 
difficult at all. 

Just as they began to move with the current 
they heard a loud yell from the shore, and 
looking up saw one of their late visitors stand- 


44 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


ing there, surveying the vanishing shantyboat 
with manifest dismay and anger. 

His shout was evidently understood by the 
others, for they could be heard tearing along 
down the shale heading for the scene. 

But our boys had now pushed the boat far 
enough out into the stream to avoid any pos- 
sibility of being boarded, no matter how bold 
the desperadoes might be ; and it gave them no 
concern that the trio howled and swore and 
threatened all manner of things for being de- 
serted in this manner, just when they thought 
they had a good soft snap for a breakfast, and 
perhaps fat pickings. 

Thanks to the friendly current, the boys 
were quickly beyond earshot of the loud- 
tongued and chagrined blacks on the shore. 

‘‘Ugh! that wasn’t a pleasant experience, 
was it? Did you ever set eyes on three more 
villainous mugs in all your life ? Those scoun- 
drels are sure doomed to meet with a noose 
before they’re many months older, for if they 
haven’t done murder up to now they’re going 
to before long. I’m glad we gave them the 
slip. It was well done all around. Now to 
float on for an hour or so, and then see if we 
have any luck finding an anchorage.” 

Maurice contented himself with these words, 
but Thad had to skip around on the deck in 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


45 


his usual exuberant style before he could settle 
down to taking his trick at the steering 
apparatus. 

Thus the shantyboat floated on through the 
darkness, and the minutes slipped along un- 
til the hour set had been exhausted ; then, when 
they were thinking of coming to a halt, the 
lights of a town appeared cldse by, and it be- 
came necessary to navigate with caution lest 
they strike some obstruction in the shape of 
an anchored boat or a dock where steamboats 
landed. 

It was decided to drop down a little distance 
below the place and tie up, for as some of 
their provision were already getting low, it 
would be necessary to go ashore and lay in 
more bread at least. 

When a jutting point shut out the last of 
the town lights, they poled in closer to the 
shore, and began to cast about for some 
friendly tree to which the hawser could be 
attached. 

u There’s a shantyboat tied up yonder,” 
whispered Thad, suddenly, pointing to a place 
where the gleam of a light through a small 
window could be seen. 

^ ^ Let her float down a bit farther. W e don ’t 
want too close neighbors, especially when we 
know nothing about them. There, listen to 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 




that dog bark; the little rat sees us all right. 
That’s where we made a mistake not to get a 
dog to go with us on the trip; they’re good 
company, and fine for guarding the boat. First 
chance I get I mean to have one, no matter 
if it’s a mongrel yellow cur.” 

A man stepped out of the cabin of the boat 
that was tied up and looked across the little 
stretch of water separating them. 

Hello!” he said, as if seeing them clearly. 
^ ^ Going to tie up below ? ’ ’ 

Maurice rather liked the ring of his voice, 
and so he made answer. 

‘‘We want to — is there good holding ground 
or a convenient tree, do you know?” he asked. 

“Yes, half a dozen of ’em. I saw the lot 
before dark; and the swing of the current 
pushes in toward the bank. Don’t get too far 
in, as she’s lowering right along,” continued 
the friendly flatboatman. 

Maurice thanked him, for it was a pleas- 
ure to run across a chap so different from the 
usual type of selfish, envious and profligate 
drifters. 

They quickly sighted the trees, and Thad, 
jumping ashore, soon had a line fast around 
one that would hold them safely until daylight. 

The man on the other boat had glimpsed 
them sufficiently to have his interest aroused. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


4Z 


for they could hear him throwing a pair of 
oars into a small boat, and sure enough he 
quickly came alongside. 

‘‘Anything I can do to help you, hoys?” he 
asked with so much heartiness that Maurice 
warmed toward him immediately. 

Of course there was really no need of assist- 
ance, since everything had been already accom- 
plished ; but Maurice asked the other to come 
aboard and join them in a friendly little chat. 

The trip promised to be lonely enough, with 
suspicions directed toward nearly all those en- 
countered, so that it was a real pleasure to run 
across a good fellow like this who felt some 
interest in them. 


48 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER V. 

HARD PUT TO KEEP WARM. 

The big, broad-shouldered man proved to be 
a machinist and clock mender, who was in the 
habit of plying his trade along the river every 
winter; he had his family aboard the boat that 
served him as a workshop, and there were cer- 
tain localities on his route where they looked 
for him regularly — he was, it seemed, a jack- 
of-all-trades, and could after a fashion even 
tune a piano if pushed. 

Our two boys enjoyed an hour or two in 
his company very much, and learned consid- 
erable about matters connected with the lower 
river that might possibly prove valuable to 
them later on. 

In return, of course, they told Bob Archiable 
all about their project, and he wished them a 
pleasant voyage to the Crescent City, with 
much luck when Uncle Ambrose came to port. 

The itinerant machinist told them they had 
undoubtedly done a wise thing in quitting their 
harbor up the river after the advent of those 
three roughs. 

He believed he knew who the trio might be, 
and if he was right they were the* ugliest set 
of desperadoes in that vicinity, who would 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


49 


not hesitate to attempt any sort of dark deed, 
provided the reward seemed sufficient to com- 
pensate for the risk involved. 

It was a real pleasure to run across such a 
pleasant and manly fellow as Archiable, and 
the meeting, brought about in so queer a man- 
ner, would always remain in the memory of 
the two boys as one of the bright spots of their 
cruise down the river. 

The night passed quietly. 

One of the boys came out on deck now and 
again, as they happened to be awake ; for the 
incident of the early evening seemed to have 
made them somewhat nervous; but nothing 
happened, and morning came along in due sea- 
son, with a lowering sky and a feeling of snow 
in the air. 

Maurice went back to the town for supplies 
after they had eaten breakfast, while Thad 
took the dinky and paddled up to where the 
other boat was tied to enjoy a little more talk 
with the jolly owner. 

He met Bob’s wife, a little woman who 
seemed to thoroughly enjoy the strange expe- 
rience of being a pilgrim half the year. 

There were also a couple of boys, one six 
and the other eight, sturdy little chaps, who 
looked like chips of the old block, and only 
eager for the time to come when they could 


50 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


put their shoulders to the wheel and help 
^^dad.’’ 

Finally they got away and waved a fare- 
well to this friendly couple, who had conceived 
a sudden and abiding interest in the future 
of the two young voyagers starting out in the 
big world to seek their fortunes. 

^‘We’re going to get it in the neck today, 
I reckon,” remarked Thad; and if his words 
were lacking in elegance, they certainly con- 
veyed a proper notion of what he meant to his 
comrade, for the air was biting, and the waves 
dashed up against the starboard side of the 
shantyboat in a way that was suggestive of 
storm and little progress. 

So it must always be in making a trip down 
these inland waters, where one is at the mercy 
of a capricious current save when a favorite 
of fortune chances to own a motor boat that 
scorns the usual drifting process, and speeds 
along at a ten-mile-an-hour clip, regardless 
of baffling head winds. 

One day excellent progress may be made, 
and then come several during which it seems 
as though every deterring influence in the cal- 
endar arises to keep the voyager from making 
his expected distance during the hours of day- 
light. 

It is just as well in the start to decide that 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


51 


nothing that can arise will disturb one’s tem- 
per, and that with equally good nature the bad 
will be accepted with the good. 

By ten o’clock it was snowing furiously, 
and the tang of the bitter wind that swept 
across from the far distant Indiana shore 
seemed to penetrate to the very marrow, so 
that the boys were constantly exchanging 
places, one bobbing inside the cabin to get 
warm while the other held the steering 
apparatus. 

The snow became so furious that soon they 
were unable to see even the Kentucky bank, 
and then Maurice began to think they had 
better haul up before losing their bearings; 
it would be a serious matter to find themselves 
adrift on the wide river without knowing 
whether they were in the middle of the stream 
or not. 

‘‘We’d better haul in closer to the shore, 
and come to a halt, I think, Thad. It may be 
all right to run along in the midst of this 
storm, but I don’t like it a little bit. In fact, 
that cabin seems good enough for me today. 
How do you feel about it, old man?” he asked, 
rubbing his hands, which, even when covered 
with a pair of woolen gloves, felt the stinging 
cold. 

“Couldn’t please me better,” answered his 


52 


/ 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


chum, picking up a pole and feeling to ascer- 
tain the depth of the water. 

With that wind blowing them toward shore 
there was little difficulty in making a landing, 
and after skirting the edge for some distance 
they found a chance to get a purchase on a con- 
venient tree, when the trick was done. 

All the balance of the day they hugged the 
fire ; nor were they any too warm at that, for 
the furious blast seemed to find cracks and 
crannies in the wall of the flimsy cabin through 
which to gain entrance. 

At times it fairly howled around them, and 
Thad suggested the advisability of their tying 
down the cabin with a spare cable, for fear 
less some tremendous blast of wind tear it 
from its foundations and send it flying among 
the treetops ashore; but Maurice declared he 
did not believe it to be quite so bad as all 
that. 

As the supply of fuel was growing low it 
became necessary for one of them at a time 
to go ashore and use the ax to a purpose, so 
that during the afternoon the pile was replen- 
ished bountifully in this manner. 

Such a night as that was — ^the boys had 
never passed a more unpleasant one in all their 
previous experience. 

It became very cold in the cabin, despite the 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


53 


half-way decent fire they kept going all night, 
and their blankets did not seem to be sufficient 
covering to induce warmth, for Maurice was 
shivering most of the time. 

A flimsy boat like the one they were on can 
seem like an iceberg during a heavy wind that 
sweeps across a wide stretch of rough water, 
and comes straight out of the Alaska region; 
then, the waves that were kicked up by its pas- 
sage across the river dashed against the side 
of the boat and fiew in spray over the very top 
of the cabin, freezing upon the wall in great 
icicles, and adding to the general discomfort, 
for in the morning they had difficulty in break- 
ing their way out of the door. 

About four o’clock Maurice could not stand 
it any longer, and getting up, he pulled on 
his sweater and sat down to make the stove 
red hot, after which it became fairly comfort- 
able in the cabin and Thad slept on. 

Luckily the storm was of short duration, 
and with the morning the wind seemed to have 
gone down considerably, with promise of a 
further mitigation of the cold during the day. 

Of course, neither of the boys enjoyed such 
an experience, but they were of a philosophical 
turn of mind and ready to accept things as 
they came along, making the most of the good 


54 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


and enduring the evil when it could not be 
avoided. 

Lucky the lad who has been blessed with a 
disposition after this kind, for life will have 
a bountiful supply of pleasures in store for 
him, out of which no temporary adversity may 
cheat him. 

They started downstream again after break- 
fast, for the snow had ceased and it was easily 
possible to see their course. 

The morning packet breasting the current 
hove in sight a short time after they cut loose 
from their night’s anchorage, and it was al- 
ways a pleasure for them to wave to those 
aboard these boats — ^never did the pilot aloft 
in his little house where he handled the wheel 
fail to respond to the waving of a handker- 
chief — it was the custom of the river, and one 
would be lacking in common politeness if he 
refused to answer such a friendly greeting. 

By noon they were making great progress 
again, and Maurice began to have hopes of 
bringing up at Paducah by night; but there 
were so many twists and turns to the river 
he had not counted on that when the afternoon 
drew near its close and they saw a town at the 
mouth of a river coming in on the Kentucky 
side, he knew it must be Smithland lying at 
the Junction of the Cumberland with the Ohio. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


55 


Once again they floated past a town, unwill- 
ing to put in for fear of trouble with some 
of the rough characters usually found along 
the river front in all of these places. 

Fortunately, after experiencing some diffi- 
culty in crossing the mouth of the Cumberland, 
which was belching forth a volume of yellow 
water that carried the shantyboat out some dis- 
tance, despite their efforts, they finally man- 
aged to find a place to stay for the night. 

It was in striking contrast to the previous 
experience, for there was no wind, and the cold 
had moderated wonderfully, so that it seemed 
as though rain might be the next thing on 
the program. 

They were a bit too close to the town for 
quiet, as sounds frequently came to their ears 
from a number of flatboats anchored just be- 
low the mouth of the smaller river that emp- 
tied its volume of water into the Ohio; these 
people were evidently engaged in having a 
high old time, probably with plenty of liquor, 
for they kept the racket going more than half 
the night. 

Fortunately, however, they knew nothing of 
the nearness of the shantyboat that had gone 
past just at dusk, and while our boys kept the 
door locked and slept on their arms, so to 
speak, they were not disturbed at all. 


56 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


They were glad to get away in the morning 
without meeting any of the rough element be- 
longing to those anchored shantyboats. 

Paducah showed up during the morning, 
after which they had a long stretch before 
them straight away into the west as it seemed, 
at the end of which they could expect to find 
the big junction city of Cairo. 

Here they would make a sudden turn to the 
left and begin to glide down the waters of the 
wonderful Mississippi, heading really south at 
last. 

But they could not hope to make it on this 
day, though a favorable run seemed to be the 
order of things ; it actually did rain, as Thad 
predicted, and each of the boys, clad in oil- 
skins, took turns at the rudder as the boat 
swung along downstream, not far away from 
the Kentucky shore. 

Taking it in all they had experienced but 
little decent weather thus far; that would 
come, they hoped, when they managed to get 
further along in the direction of Dixie, where 
the warm breezes would thaw them out, and 
allow of lying on the deck taking a sun bath. 

The shore was mighty uninviting along here 
and seemed low in most places and marshy. 

Ducks were numerous and the gun was kept 
handy in case they had a chance to knock down 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


57 


a couple, for it would be an agreeable change 
in their fare to have game for supper. 

The rain stopped about three, and Maurice, 
who had been looking ahead, declared that if 
he could only get ashore he believed it was 
possible to crawl through the brush and get 
a shot at a bunch of ducks in a cove ahead; 
so the boat was brought to a stop by means of 
the anchor, and jumping into the little dinky, 
gun in hand, he made for the shore. 

Thad waited after he had disappeared, being 
anxious to see how the adventure panned out. 

About ten minutes later he heard a shot, fol- 
lowed by a second, and then Maurice came 
hurrying along to the little boat into which 
he jumped and set out in hot chase of his 
game, which was floating away on the current. 

Thad pulled in the anchor and floated down- 
stream; he saw his chum drag several ducks 
aboard, and so of course Thad had to do the 
Highland fling as usual. 


58 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER VI. 

IN THE GAME COUNTEY. 

It proved that Maurice had knocked down 
three of the feathered prizes, and as they were 
fat teal, it looked like a genuine treat in store 
for the river travelers on the shantyboat. 

Thad was at work plucking the fowl before 
they had gone fifty yards down the stream, 
and announcing that they would have them 
for dinner that very night — at least a couple, 
for he believed one apiece ought to satisfy the 
demand. 

^^When I heard you shoot I knew we were 
in for a treat, and with the second shot I said 
it must be two; but you went me one better, 
Pal Maurice. That little old gun is as good 
as ever, I do believe, and my conscience, how 
she does penetrate. These bones are knocked 
into fiinters in places. How many were there 
in that fiock?’’ 

‘‘Just three,’’ returned Maurice, smiling. 

“I thought so, and you bagged the whole 
lot. I reckon no fellow could have done bet- 
ter than that, at least so you could notice,” 
quoth Thad, holding up the first victim of his 
labors so that the shooter could see how plump 
the bird was. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


59 


‘‘Yum, yum,” went on Thad, swinging it to 
and fro, and gloating over the tempting ap- 
pearance of the game; “don’t I just wish it 
was time to sound the gong for supper and 
these boys browned and ready to be devoured. 
But three mortal hours must crawl along be- 
fore then. How can I ever stand it?” he 
groaned. 

Maurice was accustomed to these ludicrous 
actions of his chum, and only laughed at the 
wry face he made; but, to tell the truth, he 
would not be sorry himself when the night 
had settled down over the river, and they were 
lying in some snug sheltered nook, sniffing the 
cooking meal. 

The birds seemed to be young, and it was 
decided to try the oven upon them; so Thad 
went in, after he had them both ready. 

Once when the other glanced through the 
partly open door he saw him trying to make 
some stuffing out of bread crumbs. Then the 
fire was attended to, so that there would be 
an abundance of heat, after which Thad ap- 
peared with the look of a victor on his face. 

An hour later and the first scent of dinner 
began to ooze from the door ; whereupon Thad 
darted in and began to baste the fowl with 
tender solicitude. 

He came out making motions with his lips 


60 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


as though his mouth were fairly watering, and 
shaking his head in a suggestive way that 
made Maurice roar. 

Meanwhile the boat had been steadily head- 
ing down the river, and the same dismal pros- 
pect confronted them along the shore — ^marshy 
land, with higher ground further back, au 
ideal place for ducks, great flocks of which 
could be seen at this hour flying from the river 
to some favorite sleeping place in the marsh. 

‘‘If this were a hunting expedition, which 
it is not, we would not need to go a bit further 
than this place. Just imagine the shooting a 
fellow could have in the swampy land beyond 
— ^with some decoys he could bang away for 
hours at fresh flocks passing back and forth 
all day trading. Well, I mean to pick up quite 
a few now and then, unless we get tired of 
duck as we did of fish,” Maurice observed, 
while watching these bunches of feathered 
squawkers sailing swiftly past the boat and 
heading shoreward. 

“Tired of duck — ^why, you could never get 
me to say that. I could eat it every meal and 
every day for a month,” announced Thad, 
sniffing the air, which was now becoming very 
strongly impregnated with a delicious odor 
that announced the nearness to completion of 
the baking birds. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


61 


And when finally they found a place to an- 
chor the shantyboat — for trees there were none 
within reach of their longest cable — and the 
shades of evening began to gather aroimd 
them, Thad went inside to see if dinner were 
ready for serving. 

Well, that was a feast the boys enjoyed to 
the limit — ^the ducks were tender, delightfully 
browned, and possessed of a fiavor our young 
and hungry cruisers had never seen equaled; 
the stuffing proved to be a success ; the coffee 
was as tasty as usual, and, in fact, they fairly 
reveled in good things until nature called a 
halt, and the board was cleared. 

The night proved very quiet, and as there 
was now a moon of fair size, the early part of 
it was not wholly dark and forbidding. 

And such a variety of queer sounds as came 
to their ears from the adjacent marshes, most 
of which must have been made by the aquatic 
birds that spent the night there ; but there were 
also mysterious grunts and squawks that kept 
both boys guessing for the longest time, while 
they sat on deck, Thad smoking his pet pipe 
and Maurice just bundled up in a blanket, 
taking it easy. 

rather think if a fellow hunted around 
in that place he’d find ’coons and ’possums 
galore, besides a fox or two prowling around 


62 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


in search of a fat duck, for you know, Thad, 
they’re like you, and can eat one at every meal, 
day in and day out. A funny assortment of 
sounds to woo a chap to sleep, eh? If you 
wake up in the night please don’t think you’re 
in a menagerie and shout for me to jump in 
and pull you out. To speak of it makes me 
feel that I’m pretty sleepy and that a turn of 
a few hours in that cozy bunk of mine wouldn’t 
go amiss. What say ? ’ ’ 

It turned out that Thad was about as sleepy 
as his chum, so after looking to the anchor to 
see that it had good holding ground, for a 
sudden storm coming out of the east would be 
apt to sweep them down the big river, ex- 
tremely dangerous at this point, they retired 
inside the cabin. 

The night passed without any storm break- 
ing over their devoted heads, for which both 
boys were thankful when morning came, and 
they looked out to see the sun painting the 
heavens red with his advance couriers. 

Maurice was washing his face in the only 
little tin basin they owned when he heard an 
exclamation frojn his friend — whenever any- 
thing out of the usual occurred Thad always 
began growling and talking to himself as 
though he had an audience which was waiting 
to be addressed. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


63 


‘‘Well, it’s gone sure enough, and that’s all 
there is to it. Now, hang it, how could a fox 
have come aboard our boat with twenty feet 
of water separating us from the shore ? That’s 
a conundrum I give up,” Thad was saying to 
himself. 

“Hey what all this row about — who’s been 
aboard during the night, and what do you miss, 
Mr. Cook? You remember we ate those two 
ducks last night; did you expect they would 
turn up again this morning to be devoured 
over again?” laughed the Captain, still dash- 
ing the cold water in his face, and finally 
snatching up the coarse huck towel to rub his 
skin dry. 

“That’s all right, but it’s the other chap I’m 
after now — perhaps you’ll be so obliging as 
to tell me where I can put my paws on him. 
I hung the duck from this nail — the cord was 
good and strong, and it couldn’t have broken 
loose. You see it ain’t there now. So the 
question is did the blamed bird come to life 
again and skedaddle off, or was one of your 
friends the foxes aboard while we snoozed, to 
make way with my fat duck? Anyhow, it’s 
gone, dead sure, and that’s no lie.” 

“I see it is. Certain, are you, that it hung 
there when we went to bed ?” 

“One of the last things I did was to slip 


64 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


around here and nip it to make sure it was as 
tender as those jolly birds we had for supper. 
There wasn’t any wind to whip it around and 
twist the cord till it broke. Yet where is it 
now?” and he shook his head dolefully, looked 
at his friend as if confident Maurice could in 
some way explain the mystery. 

Maurice went at things in a far different 
way from his chum; instead of calling it an 
unfathomable mystery he stepped forward 
and took hold of the piece of cord that still 
hung from the nail. 

Thad saw him closely examine it. 

Could a fox swim aboard and climb on 
top of the cabin to reach over and down to 
where that duck was hanging, and cut the cord 
with his sharp teeth, and then sling the bird 

over his shoulder to swim back again to ” 

he began. 

‘‘Stop!” exclaimed Maurice. “You’re on 
the wrong track. It wasn ’t a fox ! ’ ’ 

“ ’Coon, ’possum, wildcat, whatever could 
it have been?” 

“A two-legged thief,” announced Maurice, 
quietly. 

“Shucks ! you don’t say so ? How’d he ever 
get here, and if he wanted to steal why didn’t 
he run off with something more valuable than 
a poor little teal?” 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


65 


will you tell me what he could have 
taken, with everything nailed down, the cabin 
door locked and even the little dinky fastened 
with a chain and lock. This cord was cut with 
a knife and never twisted apart. Do you know 
that once in the night I awoke and thought I 
heard something knock against the side of 
the boat — that must have been his skiff when 
he came aboard, and I thought it was only a 
floating log. Well, our teal is gone; but think 
of the lot over in the marsh yonder. The fel- 
low must have been mighty hungry, and with 
no way of shooting a dinner. Why, while 
you cook breakfast I’m going to see what I 
can do with taking toll of our neighbors who 
kept serenading us all night.” 

Which he did. 

Once in the marsh with the little boat and 
his gun, Maurice found that it would be the 
easiest thing in the world to knock over a dozen 
ducks if he wanted them, and indeed he held 
his fire from the first because he believed he 
could get several victims with the one shot. 

Four times he pulled the trigger inside of 
ten minutes, and when Thad looked out to see 
if he were in sight, so as to wave to him that 
breakfast was ready, the lone hunter was just 
in the act of throwing a couple of plump birds 
upon the deck. 


66 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


^‘Two — ^wow, that’s good!” cried Cookey, in 
his usual ornate style, darting out to pick the 
game up. 

‘‘Four!” exclaimed Maurice, suiting the ac- 
tion to the word, and landing a second brace 
beside the first. 

As Thad stooped down to feel of these he 
received a shock, for a third couple struck him 
on the head. 

“Six?” he ejaculated, almost afraid to be- 
lieve his eyes. 

“That’s not all. I’m determined to keep 
you on a duck diet for a week, so there’s an- 
other brace, and for good measure count these 
as ten!” announced the mighty Nimrod, climb- 
ing over the gunwhale himself, gun in hand. 

It was a pretty assortment of game, six of 
them teal, three mallards and one of an un- 
known breed, which Maurice thought might be 
a broadbill, though he had an idea that class 
of divers kept near the salt water in its 
migration. 

“I forgive that wretched thief; he’s wel- 
come to the lone duck he took. Why, it looks 
like you’d enjoy nothing better than to agree 
to supply food for all the families in Evans- 
ville at this rate; and I believe you could do 
it, too, down here, for every time you shot, a 
million or two ducks sprang up above that 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


67 


marsh, and their wings made a roar like thun- 
der. Say, I like this country around here. 
Given a good old gun like this Marlin, plenty 
of ammunition, a fishing outfit, and some cook- 
ing things and matches — ^yes, and a little to- 
bacco for a fellow’s pipe, and I think I could 
exist here forever without needing a cent. 
I’m awful glad I came, ain’t you, pal?” 

‘‘Don’t I look like it. Cook? See anything 
like regret on my phiz? I’m just as happy 
as I look, and the end isn’t yet, for we’ve got 
several months of this before us; of course, 
there’ll be troubles and setbacks, but in spite 
of all we’re sure to keep making steady prog- 
ress into Dixieland, and long before Uncle 
Ambrose gets into port again we’ll be waiting 
for him in New Orleans. It was just the fin- 
est thing in the world that his letter should 
have reached me on that black day ; and then 
to think how you had this inspiration, too — 
why, I consider that we’re two of the luckiest 
fellows on earth this morning,” said Maurice, 
earnestly. 

“Bully for you, old pal; my sentiments ex- 
actly; and now, come in to breakfast.” 


68 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER Vn. 

A WILD BLOW. 

How does it look to you — think we can make 
the riffle today?’’ asked Thad, as they floated 
down the stream, very broad and swollen at 
this point, as the low shores allowed the water 
just that much more expanse — further up, the 
Ohio is conflned by hills that prevent its 
spreading to any great extent, even in the 
spring freshets. 

Maurice knew what he meant, for they had 
only the one thought in mind just now, and 
that was getting into the Mississippi. 

He drew out his charts and studied them to 
make sure he was right, though from frequent 
use he knew the same by heart. 

can see no reason why we shouldn’t. As 
near as I can make out we’re now something 
like twenty-three miles above Cairo, and at 
the rate we’re sailing along we ought to pass 
there shortly after noon — say by two o’clock 
anyway. That will give us time to move down 
a few miles and have our flrst night on the 
greatest of American rivers,” he remarked. 

‘^I’m a little bit worried as to how we’ll get 
on. You see I’ve heard so much about the 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


69 


tricks of the big river that I’m nervous,” ad- 
mitted Thad. 

‘‘Oh, rats! It can’t be much worse than 
the old Ohio when she gets on a bender, and 
we’ve seen some pretty big ones in my time. 
We’ll come out all right, never fear, old chap. 
Every day will have to look out for itself. 
What’s the use of borrowing trouble? Not 
any for me. Now, what could be finer than 
this view, for instance?” sweeping his hand 
around to include land and water, with the 
sun dimpling the little waves. 

“Nothing on earth; it’s just grand, that’s 
a fact, and I’m a fool for thinking anything 
can get the better of a couple of fellows like 
you and me when we’ve got our war clothes 
on. Hurrah for We, Us and Company, not 
forgetting the old Tramp, Say, she’s behav- 
ing herself some, eh, pard?” laughed Thad, 
his face all wreathed in genial smiles again. 

“She’s all right, and a credit to you. A 
little cool and inclined to be draughty on a 
windy night, but taken all in all a thing of 
beauty and a joy forever. Here’s to her — ^may 
it be many a moon before she’s broken up into 
hindling wood.” 

So they joked and chatted as the day wore 
along. 

Nothing escaped their eagle eyes on the 


70 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


shore, and from time to time one would draw 
the attention of the other to some point of 
especial interest. 

Now it might be the peculiar formation of 
a point of land, some trees, a swamp with 
hanging Spanish moss, which, however, was 
nothing to what they would see further south 
— or anon perhaps it was some negro cabin 
on an elevation, with the pickaninnies playing 
by the door, and the strapping woman of the 
household leaning against the post, always 
smoking her clay pipe. 

Maurice, with the hunter instinct, watched 
the flight of an osprey that was circling the 
river brink with an eye to dinner; and later 
on observed an eagle drop down into a flutter- 
ing flock of ducks, from which he evidently 
took his usual toll, as presently he flew heav- 
ily away, with some dark object dangling 
below. 

About noon they had a little lunch, Thad 
making a pot of coffee, and otherwise the meal 
was called in local parlance a ‘‘snack,” which 
would seem to mean a pickup affair that could 
be eaten standing if necessary. 

They wished to get this duty out of the 
way, for by the signs it was believed that they 
must be approaching Cairo, and as the junc- 
tion of the two rivers is a turbulent place, with 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


71 


considerable craft moving about, the boys con- 
sidered it wise to have their full attention fixed 
upon their movements. 

After all, it was a mere nothing — ^they sim- 
ply turned a point and found themselves upon 
a much wider stretch of water — and this was 
the famous Mississippi ! 

Now they were really heading south, and no 
matter how much colder the weather grew, it 
could not freeze them in and stop their fiight 
to the desired port. 

Just as Maurice had figured, it was two in 
the afternoon when they could really and truly 
say they were afloat on the big river. 

In about a couple of hours they began vO 
cast their eyes along the shore seeking a favor- 
able place to tie up for the coming night — ^the 
mere thought of being adrift upon that im- 
mense yellow flood after sunset was appalling 
to them, though possibly by degrees they might 
become so accustomed to the rolling tide that 
it would cease to have the same sensation of 
alarm for them. 

It was almost dark before they discovered 
a convenient tree close enough to the water’s 
edge to serve their purpose ; for evidently the 
river during its periodical seasons of flood 
had torn nearly all growth on the lower banks 
away. 


72 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


Thad climbed up to this friendly trunk and 
slipped the cable around its base. 

The boys sat there on deck for some little 
time watching the last flickering red die out 
of the western heavens; and when the pano- 
rama had come to its logical conclusion, with 
a sigh they entered the cabin to prepare 
supper. 

In this manner did they spend their first 
night upon the Father of Waters, and it was 
as peaceful as any they ever knew. 

The river sang merrily as its little wavelets 
washed up against the sides of the shantyboat, 
the air was almost balmy in its touch, coming 
from the south where the cotton fields and 
wilderness of pines lay; and all together the 
boys felt that they had been exceedingly fool- 
ish to imagine that anything terrible could 
await them upon the bosom of this majestic 
stream. 

Ah ! wait until the same river is seen under 
different conditions, and perhaps the old dread 
may be revived with redoubled force ; for the 
Mississippi in the throes of a westerly storm 
is a sight to appall the stoutest heart. 

When morning came they were soon under 
way again, and reaching out for another 
stretch toward that genial clime that seemed 
beckoning them onward. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


73 


Now they could notice quite a difference in 
the stage of the current, for with the increased 
volume of water it seemed that they were 
being borne onward faster than at any other 
time in the past. 

All the way down it was policy on their part 
to hug the eastern shore; indeed, to attempt 
to cross that billowing flood with such a frail 
craft would have seemed the height of fool- 
ishness, both boys thought, nor would they 
have any object in so doing. 

The river makes many wonderful twists and 
turns, sometimes seeming to flow almost due 
north as it follows its intricate channel; for 
it is a law of nature that water always pursues 
the easiest route, and seeks its own level. 

Maurice had during the morning commented 
on the balmy feeling in the air, whereupon the 
weather sharp, Thad, had warned him sol- 
emnly that there was a great change coming 
within twenty hours, perhaps much less, for 
all signs pointed to cold and windy weather. 

So much faith did Maurice place in this pre- 
diction of his chum that he insisted upon tying 
up earlier than usual that afternoon so that 
they could lay in an abundance of firewood. 

It is not often that a weather prophet has 
so much honor in his own family, and really 
Maurice never did a wiser thing in his life 


74 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


than when he thus provided for a bad spell 
to con\e on the strength of Thad’s knowledge 
of floating clouds and such signs. 

For the storm descended upon them that 
very night, and coming off the river, gave them 
something of a fright lest they be wrecked 
thus early in their voyage down the big water. 

Given two miles of river over which to sweep 
with fury, and a forty-mile-an-hour gale can 
kick up a tremendous sea, besides penetrating 
every crack and cranny to be found in a flimsy 
cabin, chilling the very marrow of the sleepers. 

It was about two in the morning when Mau- 
rice awoke to And the boat pitching violently 
and himself shivering with cold, for they had 
let the fire die out on retiring, such was the 
heat of the cabin. 

^^Hi ! here, show a leg, Thad. There’s some- 
thing doing, and I rather reckon your plagued 
old storm’s arrived ahead of time. D’ye want 
to freeze to death, boy? Pile out and let’s get 
a fire started. Then we’d better make sure 
our cable’s going to hold, for if we broke loose 
in this howling sea it’d be good-by to our boat, 
perhaps to us, too.” was the way he brought his 
chmn out of the bunk, “all standing,” rubbing 
his eyes as the candle which Maurice had 
lighted pictured the scene. 

Hurriedly dressing while their teeth chat- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


75 


tered, the boys started a blaze in the stove, and 
after a bit thawed out sufficiently to go outside, 
muffied in sweaters and coats, to see what all 
this racket meant. 

They found a wild scene there, with the 
waves rushing down the river most furiously. 
Already the atmosphere had grown so frigid 
that ice was forming on the side of the cabin 
where this spud and foam dashed. 

Looking out upon the raging waters the boys 
shivered at the sight, even with scanty light 
from the heavenly bodies that were part of the 
time obscured behind masses of black clouds. 

It was frittering snow, and the prospect 
of a spell of bad weather looked very promis- 
ing. 

‘‘Let me catch you making any more predic- 
tions of storms; won’t there be trouble headed 
your way?” shouted Maurice, with mock se- 
verity ; whereat the weather sharp laughed and 
began to feel of the rope that fastened them to 
the shore. 

“If the wind should change there might be 
a chance of our being smashed against the 
shore here. If it was light I’d say it would 
pay us to get the anchor out yonder to kind of 
hold the boat off ; but to look at that water I 
don’t think our little dinky would hold out five 


76 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


minutes,’’ continued Maurice, shaking his 
head. 

It was finally concluded to retire to the 
warmth of the cabin and wait until the morn- 
ing broke, when they could decide what should 
be done. 

For some time they sat there, now dozing 
by the stove, and anon starting up as some un- 
usually weird contortion on the part of the 
boat gave them the impression that the end had 
come, and they were about to be tossed into 
the raging fiood. 

Maurice was just sinking into some sort of 
condition resembling sleep when there was a 
sudden wilder rush of wind than at any time 
previously. 

And as he started up, thrilled with a sensa- 
tion of coming peril, he felt a new motion to 
the shanty-boat that portended trouble. 

‘‘The cable’s broken, pard, and we’re 
afloat!” he shouted, as the equally bewildered 
Thad struggled up alongside him. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF, 


77 


CHAPTER Vra. 

THE TERKORS OF THE STORM. 

After that one feeling of horror both the 
boys recovered more or less of their ordinary 
ability to meet danger, and overcome it. 

It was Maurice who sprang to the door, and 
threw it open. 

As he pushed out upon the narrow deck of 
the float he could not but be appalled by the 
sight that met his wondering eyes. 

Just as he had suspected so strongly, they 
had broken away from the anchorage. Doubt- 
less the rope had been frayed by some sharp- 
edged stone, and when that unusual gust 
swooped down upon them it gave at the weak- 
est part. 

Out on the river little could be seen save a 
jumble of foamy waters, that seemed to be 
tumbling wildly over and over, driven by the 
furious blast from the north. 

Maurice turned his eyes toward the other 
side, for it was in that quarter his deepest in- 
terest lay. 

Back of the clouds there was a pretty good- 
sized moon still above the western horizon, so 


78 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


that this helped lighten what would otherwise 
have been inky darkness. 

Hence, Maurice could make out the tops of 
the trees on the bank of the river, as they were 
outlined against the lighter heavens. 

^‘We’re just humming along!” he shouted, 
as he noticed how the tree-tops seemed to be 
constantly shifting, owing to the progress of 
the boat downstream. 

^‘The worst of it is we seem to be drifting out 
all the while!” was what Thad called, as he, 
too, sized up the situation. 

Both of them knew what this meant. 

Once they were swept far out upon the 
bosom of that madly agitated flood, and the 
chances of the gallant old shanty-boat remain- 
ing right-side-up would be very scanty. 

‘‘We must flght against that with all our 
might!” yelled the other, as he pushed back to 
where the sweep was to be found. 

They set to work with every pound of force 
they could bring to the front. Again and again 
was the long oar dipped into the water, and 
made to press against the rush of the current. 

“How is it?” gasped Maurice, after they 
had been employed in this manner for some 
five minutes, each sixty seconds filled with 
anxiety. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


79 


tMnk we are about holding our own!” 
replied Thad. 

that all? Then how can we ever get her 
in nearer the shore ?” demanded his chum, for- 
lornly, as he continued to tug away. 

^‘Have to trust to luck for that,” came the 
immediate reply. 

‘‘Tell me how?” implored Maurice, who 
somehow failed to grasp the situation quite as 
accurately as the other. 

“The shore lines change constantly, you 
know.” 

“Yes, that’s so; but we might open up a 
big pocket at any time, as soon as strike a 
point sticking out,” suggested Maurice. 

“Sure. That’s what I meant when I said 
we’d have to stick everlastingly at it, and trust 
to luck for the rest,” replied his comrade. 

Perhaps it was because Thad had been up 
against hard knocks more than his friends, but 
one thing was evident — ^when trouble of this 
kind came he seemed able to show a better and 
more hopeful spirit than Maurice. 

Another short space of time passed. 

‘ ‘ Say, this is working our passage all right ! ’ ’ 
came from Maurice. 

“But so long as we hold our own we ain’t 
got a thing to say. And I think we’re doing 
that, don’t you, Maurice?” 


80 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


^‘1 did a minute ago, but just now it strikes 
me the trees kind of look further away/’ 

‘‘That’s a fact, they do; but mebbe it’s only 
a little bay before we strike that point, you 
know,” continued the other lad. 

They dared not halt a single minute in their 
labor, for fear lest the boat be carried further 
out on the raging river. 

“How are you — feel cold?” asked Thad, a 
little later. 

“Not much — I’m as warm as toast, all but 
my hands, and they’re freezing. But where’s 
the land, Thad ? Can you see anything of those 
bully old trees, partner?” 

“Mighty little just now; but I’m hoping 
they ain’t going to give us the shake just yet. 
That would be mighty mean, when we think 
so much of ’em!” said the second willing 
worker, as he tugged and strained with all his 
power. 

It really looked more perilous than ever 
around the bobbing shantyboat, which was 
now being tossed about on the water very much 
after the style of a cork. 

And if the waves ran so high close to the 
shore what must they be far, far out yonder 
toward the middle of the mighty stream ? 

Neither of the tugging lads wanted to pic- 
ture the scene ; indeed, they had all they could 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


81 


manage in considering how the wabbly craft 
might be piloted so as to once more hug the 
friendly shore. 

Presently a shout from Maurice, rather 
feeble it must be confessed, for he was short of 
breath just then, announced that he had made 
some sort of happy discovery. 

‘‘Land! land!” he exclaimed, hoarsely, just 
as a shipwrecked sailor on a floating raft might 
cry as an island hove in sight. 

And Thad could easily see the tree-tops 
again, outlined against the gray heavens ; yes, 
they were closer than for some time, and to 
his excited imagination seemed to be even 
looming up more and more positively. 

“We’re getting there, old chap; give her 
another good dig, and follow it up with yet 
another!” he managed to cry. 

‘ ‘ Hurrah ! that ’s the way to do it ! Again, my 
hearty, and all together with a will ! She moves 
in, Thad; we’re going to make the ripple!” 

“Wait!” said the more cautious Thad; 
“don’t shout till you’re out of the woods.” 

But nevertheless he too seemed to feel that 
more than half the battle was won, since they 
had passed over a wide bayou without any ac- 
cident, and were now once again close to the 
land. 

How eagerly their young eyes hung upon 


82 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


those shifting tree-tops, as they hurried by; 
never before had the dry land seemed quite 
so glorious as at that particular moment ; and 
they felt that it would be a happy event if they 
could but plant their feet again on it. 

Maurice knew something of the river, but 
Thad had studied the oddities of the Ohio for 
many a moon, while living upon its breast. 

He knew, for instance, that when a bayou 
was struck the chances were there would be a 
point of land jutting out immediately below 
it, formed by the dirt swept out by the erratic 
current. 

And this was just what he was hoping to 
find now. 

Of course the swift tide would never allow 
them to land on the upper side of that cape ; 
but if they could only take advantage of its in- 
ward sweep beyond, they might succeed in get- 
ting into comparatively still water, where the 
anchor would hold. 

They fought ^Hooth and nail,’’ as Thad said, 
to accomplish such a result. 

^‘We’re passing the point!” shouted Mau- 
rice, ending with a groan. 

‘‘Keep working! The current sets in just 
below, and we want to ride along with it,” an- 
swered his chum. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


83 


Then Maurice saw a great light, and rea- 
lized what his comrade had in mind. 

^‘The trees are further away!’’ he could not 
help saying. 

‘‘Yes, but the water ain’t near so sassy; 
don’t you see how we are pushing the old tub 
in closer all the while ? When I say the word 
you jump for the anchor, and let her slide!” 
“Oh!” 

Maurice was encouraged to work again with 
renewed vigor, for hope had once more found 
a lodgment in his soul. 

Hardly had ten seconds passed before the 
voice of Thad rang out above the clamor of 
the wind, and the breaking of the waves 
against the stern of the laboring shanty-boat. 

“Now! do it!” 

And Maurice, dropping away from the 
sw'eep, made a hasty jump for the place where 
the anchor and its cable lay. 

In his haste he must have made a misstep, 
for suddenly Thad saw him stumble and van- 
ish over the side into the boiling waters of 
the Mississippi! 

A feeling of horror shot through the heart 
of the boy as he thus witnessed the catastrophe 
that had overtaken his chum. 

He forgot all necessity for remaining on 
guard at the sweep, in order to prevent the 


84 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


boat from being carried out; but abandoning 
bis trust he sprang toward the spot where he 
had last seen Maurice. 

Throwing himself down on his chest he en- 
deavored to penetrate the almost inky dark- 
ness that rested upon the water at that par- 
ticular place. 

But not a thing could he see at first ; it was 
as though those treacherous waters had swal- 
lowed up his friend/ forever ! 

And just then he became aware of the fact 
that there was a sudden change in the move- 
ment of the shanty-boat, which instead of con- 
tinuing to whirl down-stream seemed to be 
brought to a stop, and was tugging violently 
at some object that persisted in restraining her 
onward progress ! 

The anchor! 

Yes, in his plunge Maurice must have 
knocked this over the side, and the heavy ob- 
ject, swiftly reaching bottom in that shallow 
spot, had brought the wild cruise of the craft 
to an abrupt conclusion. 

But Maurice — dear would the safety of the 
old boat have been purchased, had he been 
swept away, to be possibly drowned in the 
fiood, encumbered as he was with all his clothes. 

‘^Wow!” 

Thad heard this sound, although he could 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


85 


see nothing ; and a thrill shot through him at 
the consciousness that it must have been made 
by his chum. 

Where are you, Maurice?” he shrilled, 
eager to lend what assistance lay in his limited 
power. 

‘‘Holding on to the cable of the anchor, and 
swallowing a pint of yellow stuff every 
breath!” came back in broken sentences, as 
though the speaker might be ejecting some of 
the surplus fluid whenever the opportunity 
offered. 

So Thad gripped the rope and tried to 
shorten the extent of its holding ; but he found 
this a greater task than he had bargained for, 
and indeed, utterly impossible, with all that 
sweep of the river to buck against him. 

“Wait! it’s all right, and I’m coming!” he 
again heard the other say; and this time it 
seemed as though the voice must be much 
closer. 

Then he caught his flrst glimpse of Mau- 
rice, amid all the foam in the rear of the 
boat, where the onrushing flood failed to start 
the anchored craft from her moorings. 

In another minute he could reach out a help- 
ing hand, which being seized upon by the im- 
periled lad, Maurice was soon brought close 


86 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


enough to admit of his climbing over the low 
gunwale. 

^‘Gee! that was a close shave, though!’’ he 
gasped, as he sat up, the water pouring from 
him in rivulets. 

Thad was pumping his hand like a machine, 
and almost crying in his hysterical delight. 

‘‘Oh! you gave me an awful scare, old fel- 
low, you sure did ! I thought you was a goner, 
and felt like jumping in, too, myself. It would 
be mighty tough to lose you, Maurice, mighty 
tough !” he kept saying as he squeezed the oth- 
er’s hand. 

“Well, a miss is as good as a mile; and the 
only thing I’m thinking of just now is a way 
to get warm. My teeth are rattling together 
like the dickens. It was just comfortable in 
the water ; but this air cuts through me like a 
knife!” said Maurice, getting up on his knees. 

“You must go inside at once, and I’ll have 
the fire booming in a jiffy. Never mind the 
boat ; I reckon that rope will hold us here all 
right till morning. When you are warm I’m 
going to come out and see if I can put another 
anchor of some sort over. We’ve got a rope 
and that fine big stone, you know. Shoo, now, 
and get into the coop, you!” 

In this fashion did Thad chase his chum in- 
doors. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


87 


He busied himself with the fire, and it was 
not long before he had the interior of the cabin 
feeling comfortable. 

And while the boat pitched and plunged, yet 
seemed to hold her own against the raging 
storm, Maurice changed his clothes, and was 
presently feeling none the worse for his in- 
voluntary bath. 

Long before this the other had slipped out 
to fulfill his programme with regard to the 
second anchor. 


88 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER IX. 

GOOD OLD MARLIN. 

When Thad came in later on he declared 
that the chances were now that the boat would 
hold her own during the balance of that 
stormy night. 

^‘Always providing/’ he added, with due 
caution, “that it don’t get any worse, and the 
wind shift to the northeast, which would be 
bad for us here.” 

So they started in again to try and keep 
watch-and-watch, one securing a little sleep 
while the other stood guard. 

It was only a poor makeshift at best, for 
what Maurice called “cat-naps” were the best 
they could do at any time. 

That night would not soon be forgotten by 
the boys, for it seemed to be about forty hours 
long. 

And as time crept on at a snail pace the 
howling of the wintry gale continued un- 
abated, with the roar of the wind through the 
tree-tops ashore, the dash of the waves on the 
point above, and the constant wabbling motion 
of the shantyboat to remind them of their 
peril. 

It may have been a couple of hours before 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


89 


the time for morning to come along that Thad, 
after a trip of investigation outside, returned 
with some news. 

^‘Wind’s shifted!’’ he announced, as he came 
staggering in again. 

Maurice jumped up. 

“Then we ought to get busy if we don’t 
want to be dragged out of this comfortable 
pocket again!” he exclaimed. 

“Hold on, old fellow; you don’t catch on. 
The wind has taken a notion to back into the 
west, and is now whooping it up from across 
the old Mississip,” said the other, sinking 
into a seat, and holding both shivering hands 
out to the cheery blaze. 

“ Oh ! that ’s a dMerent thing. I reckon then 
we’re more in danger of going ashore, than be- 
ing sent adrift again,” admitted Maurice. 

“I guess the anchors are good to hold, if 
only we don’t get banged on a nasty rock. I’ve 
got a notion there are a lot around here, even 
if we can’t see ’em. But the chances don’t 
amount to much; and it’s me for another little 
snooze.” 

With which Thad sought his bunk, and 
bundled in “all standing” in sea parlance, not 
even removing his boots, for he did not know 
but that he might have to turn out at any 
moment. 


90 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


But the next thing he knew was when a 
most appetizing odor came stealing to his 
sense of smell, and he realized that his chum 
was cooking breakfast. 

‘‘Hello, there, going to have a midnight 
meal?’’ queried Thad, drowsily, as he sat up, 
rubbing his eyes. 

A^Tiereupon the other stepped to the little 
window, raised the shade and allowed the 
awakened sleeper to see that dawn was at 
hand, gray and forbidding, but daylight all 
the same. 

“Well, all I can say, pard, is, that I’m 
mighty glad to see her come along. That was 
the most ding-dong night I ever spent, for a 
fact. And I guess I dreamed about you going 
in swimming with all your duds on, too. That 
was what woke me up just now with a jump.” 

Thad crawled out, stretching and yawning. 

“Oh! you’ll feel better after you’ve had a 
little coffee, and some bacon. Nothing like a 
hot breakfast to tone a fellow up after a bad 
night like that,” remarked the cook, cheerily, 
as he started to transfer the various things 
from the stove to their table, with its clean 
white oilcloth cover. 

Thad went outside to take an observation. 

He found the storm still busy, and the sight 
out on the river was quite discouraging to a 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


91 


boy who wanted to get along toward the blamy 
Southland as speedily as possible. 

Still, they had indeed much to be thankful 
for, with that snug craft to serve as a refuge 
while the gale lasted, plenty to eat aboard, 
and a supply of wood within reach. 

‘‘I guess the little dinghy would live be- 
tween here and the shore,” he remarked, as 
he came in presently. 

‘‘What’s in the wind now^?” demanded Mau- 
rice, already pouring out the amber liquid into 
the brace of tin cups that served them just as 
well as the dainty alumimnn ones sported by 
some canoeists they had once known in their 
Kentucky home town. 

“Well, you see, oui wood isn’t apt to hold 
out all day; and besides, there’s another night 
coming for us in this place. One of us must 
go ashore later on and do some chopping.” 

“That’ll be me, then, to start with. I’d like 
to get a few of the kinks out of my arms. Here, 
squat down, and begin work with that mess. 
Plenty more where that came from, and no 
bill to settle.” 

In this manner did the early morning meal 
progress, for the boys, having survived the 
perils of the night, were feeling quite like 
themselves again. 

True to his promise, about nine o’clock as 


92 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


near as they could judge, Maurice climbed 
down into the dinghy, taking with him their 
only ax. 

Thad had even been careful enough to fasten 
this with a piece of rope-end to the single 
thwart in the dump boat. 

^Mf you should have a turn-over the bloom- 
ing thing don’t know enough to swim, like 
you do; and to lose it just now would put us 
in a fine old pickle,” he explained, when Mau- 
rice joked him about the solicitude he was 
showing. 

^‘That’s it,” remarked the occupant of the 
dinghy, as he balanced himself carefully in 
sitting down; ^4t might be hard to buy another 
ax down along here, and one as good as this 
daisy. Now, when I say the word, give me a 
dandy push, will you?” 

‘^All right,” 'and Thad braced himself for 
the exertion. 

‘‘I suppose it will be harder coming out 
again, with a load of wood. I’m glad you 
thought of that bully old scheme of dragging 
some of it aboard with a rope,” said Maurice, 
taking up the paddle. 

‘M’ll pay out the painter as you go along,” 
remarked the one who was to remain on board 
the larger craft. 

^^Push!” 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


93 


Having been given a fine start he plied his 
blade, and rapidly the little boat drew near 
the adjacent shore. 

No accident befel Maurice, and he was able 
to land safely; after which he drew his small 
craft well up on the beach, before climbing the 
abrupt bank just beyond, by means of protrud- 
ing roots of trees. 

Thad listened until he heard the steady 
blows of the ax; and then he went back to 
some work he had been doing at the time. 

It might have been about half an hour later 
that he suddenly caught what seemed to be 
an angry bark from the shore; and as the 
sound appeared to come directly from that 
quarter where he remembered Maurice had 
been at work, he immediately became quite 
concerned. 

The sound came again almost immediately, 
and seemed even more savage than before. 
Following it he caught the voice of his pard 
raised in anger. 

‘‘Get out, you rascal! Hi! there, what d’ye 
mean jumping at me like that! Keep off, or 
I’ll give you a dig with the ax. D’ye hear, you 
big fool?” 

Apparently Maurice was in some sort of 
trouble, and as near as the boy on the shanty- 
boat could understand he had been attacked 


94 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


by some roving animal that had taken a fancy 
to try and assault the strange woodchopper. 

Thad jumped into the cabin and came out 
with the little Marlin in his hands; but then he 
realized how utterly impotent he was to give 
his beleaguered chmn a helping hand just then. 

The boiling water lay between him and that 
shore for a distance of perhaps thirty feet or 
more; nor was it possible for even his sanguine 
spirit to bridge it. 

True, there was the dinghy on the little 
beach, and the cable attached to its stern ran 
all the way to the larger boat, so that it was 
possible for him to tug away, and eventually 
bring it alongside. 

Should he try it? 

The sounds had grown even more furious, 
as though Maurice and the unseen dog might 
be engaged in something resembling a regular 
circus. 

Suppose he pulled the dinghy away from 
the shore, and just then his chum appeared, 
eager to throw himself into it, his disappoint- 
ment would be terrible. 

But all the same Thad could not stand there 
helpless and listen to that terrible racket go- 
ing on. 

Why, for all he knew, poor old Maurice 


OE, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


95 


might be in hard luck, with the teeth of a sav- 
age hound threatening his very life. 

And so Thad made up his mind in a hurry, 
for he was not the one to hesitate when an 
emergency called for speedy action. 

He had laid the Marlin down on the deck, 
and applied both hands to the task of getting 
the small boat across that intervening stretch 
of water as quickly as human means could 
accomplish the job. 

If anything was needed to urge him on to 
unusual haste it might have easily been 
found in the continual confusion of shouts, 
laughter, barks, and general confusion exist- 
ing ashore. 

Swiftly the tender of the shantyboat came 
spinning through the water, until in a short 
time it bumped against the side. 

Thad waited only long enough to deposit 
his precious gun in the bottom, and then crawl- 
ing over the side himself, he seized upon the 
paddle, and dipped deeply. 

No doubt he made the shore in much less 
time than it took Maurice; for there was need 
that he should. 

The noise continued, from which Thad drew 
new hope; at least his beloved chum could not 
have been seriously injured, for just then he 


96 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


could almost positively declare that he heard 
him laugh again. 

So there was a comical side to the adven- 
ture, it would seem. 

Thad was in such a hurry to reach the spot 
that he must needs make an unfortunate mis- 
calculation when attempting to climb up the 
steep bank, or else a root upon which he de- 
pended proved false to his trust. 

However that might be the boy fell back 
again, landing in a heap at the base of the 
little bluff. 

Taking warning from his mishap that speed 
is not always an indication of ultimate success, 
Thad became a little more careful; and as a 
consequence he soon had the satisfaction of 
finding himself on the top of the river bank. 

Here Maurice had piled quite some wood, 
which doubtless he calculated fastening to the 
spare rope, so that it could be dragged aboard 
once he had joined his chum. 

Smaller stuff he would stow away in the 
tender, and thus avoid getting the same wet. 

But Thad was not bothering his head about 
the wood just then; he could still hear the 
barking, and the voice of his friend not far 
away, accompanied by various mysterious 
sounds that seemed to resemble the dropping 
of a heavy body on the ground. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


97 


So he gripped the gun and began to move 
forward, steeling his nerves for any sort of 
surprise possible. 

In this fashion he presently reached what 
seemed to be a little glade, where at some time 
in the dim past the trees had gone down, either^ 
in a himricane or before a settler’s ax. 

Then the show was before him! 

His attention was immediately attracted to 
a moving object that continued to leap up- 
ward with wriggling movements, and then fall 
back again to the ground, to obtain new foot- 
ing and try again. 

And each attempt was being greeted by dis- 
dainful remarks from Maurice, who could be 
seen dangling his legs some seven feet or so 
up in a friendly tree. 

Thad breathed freer. 

He knew now that his chum had been wise 
enough to take refuge among the branches of 
this tree when he lost hold of the ax with 
which he had been defending himself. 

And since he seemed so very merry now, it 
was evident that he had not been badly in- 
jured by the teeth of the brute. 

Thad began to push his Marlin forward, as 
though he might mean business from the start. 

He did not fancy the looks of the big dog. 


98 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


which was of a dingy yellow color, and as large 
as a two-month-old calf. 

Possibly he belonged to some farmer within 
a mile or so of the spot; or it might be that he 
was a stray beast, drawn back to the original 
state of his kind by the call of the wild. 

Thad did not try to find out, and indeed, 
there was no possible way in which he could 
ascertain, since the dog could not talk. 

Maurice had apparently become aware of 
his presence, for just then he called out. 

^‘Take care, Thad, he’s a holy terror of a 
brute. If you shoot be sure you get him, or 
he ’ll jump you like he did me. He ’s mad clear 
through. Hi! look out. he’s scented you and 
he’s coming!” 

Thad needed no warning, for he had been 
watching the big buff dog every second of the 
time. 

He dropped on one knee, and threw the Mar- 
lin up to his shoulder with a resolute air. Thad 
could hardly be said to be an expert shot, for 
his opportunities to go out hunting had never 
been very numerous; still, he possessed nerve, 
and could aim straight, which, after all, were 
qualities standing him in better stead just 
then than experience. 

The beast was coming all right, there could 
be no doubt about that; and his appearance. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


99 


with that hair bristling along above his shoul- 
ders, was anything but pacifying. 

To the kneeling lad the rush of a lion in the 
African wilds could not have seemed more 
fierce. 

He waited just three seconds, until Maurice, 
fearing that his chum might be almost par- 
alyzed with fright, gave a shriek to startle him 
into action. 

But Thad had done the wise thing after all; 
he wanted the dog to get close enough to war- 
rant the bird-shot to possess all the deadly 
attributes of a bullet. 

Of course there was more danger of his miss- 
ing entirely; but Thad’s mind was fully made 
up that he just could not and would not do 
any thing of the sort. 

Then his finger pressed first one trigger, and 
almost simultaneously the other, of the double- 
barrel. 

The deafening report was accompanied by 
what seemed to be a piercing yelp or two, after 
which there was silence. 

Maurice had jumped down out of his tree 
as soon as the shots told that there was no 
further danger of his being hit by any stray 
leaden pellet; and seizing upon the handy ax 
he bounced across the glade toward the scene 
of hostilities. 


100 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


‘‘Thad!’’ lie shouted eagerly, as he ran, wav- 
ing the ax in the air, and ready to resume the 
battle, if so be it seemed necessary. 

‘‘All right here, old boss!’’ came the cheery 
answer, that made the other experience imme- 
diate relief. 

And then Maurice looked toward the spot 
where he had had his last glimpse of his late 
enemy. 

Something was moving amid the snow that 
covered the ground. 

“You got him, Thad; he’s kicking his last!” 
yelled the excited Maurice, as he gazed with 
distended eyes at the feeble struggles that 
marked the passing of the powerful brute. 

By the time the marksman had reached the 
spot the animal had given up the ghost; but 
even in death he presented a ferocious aspect 
that made Maurice shiver. 

“Phew! that was an exciting little time,” 
he said, wiping his forehead, as though some- 
what overheated by his recent exertions. 

“Where d’ye suppose he came from?” asked 
the other, as he bent over the victim of the 
steady-shooting gun, and shrugged his shoul- 
ders at sight of the bared white teeth, so 
wicked in appearance. 

“I don’t know. Looks to me like he might 
be a wild dog; but perhaps he belongs to some 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


101 


shantyboat crowd below here. I wouldn’t be 
too ready to tell about this until we’re well 
away. It might breed trouble for us, you see, ’ ’ 
said Maurice, sagely. 

‘‘But he tackled you without cause, and any 
fellow is allowed to defend himself,” expostu- 
lated the other. 

“That’s good logic, generally; but the owner 
of the dog never looks at things from the right 
side. He’d blame you for shooting, and say 
we ought to have chased the beast off with 
pea-shooters. Well, he kept me jumping right 
lively up to the time I lost my grip on this old 
ax. Then I got up in that blessed tree, though 
I’ll never know just how I did the trick. H’m! 
that old gun of mine is some shooter, ain’t she^? 
My! how you knocked a hole in the critter. 
That was going some, for you. Thad, don’t 
you forget it, son.” 

Now that he was ashore Thad assisted in 
getting the wood down to the edge of the 
water. 

Here some of it was fastened to a spare rope 
which could be carried out to the floating boat, 
when the firewood might be hauled aboard. 

Thad paddled out first, so as to draw the 
laden dinghy after him; then Maurice used 
the second rope to get it back ashore, loaded 


102 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


it with the results of his chopping, after which 
the other did his part. 

In this fashion the entire amount of fuel was 
finally taken aboard. 

think we have enough to last us for some 
time now,’’ remarked Maurice, after he had in 
the end allowed Thad to draw him out just 
as the cargoes of wood had been taken aboard. 

And as Thad once more pushed a couple of 
shells into the chambers of the little old Mar- 
lin he shook his head, observing: 

‘M’d hate to think what would have hap- 
pened if I’d just missed that ugly customer 
when I pulled those triggers. For he was 
coming at me like a house afire, and with blood 
in his eyes. But, I didn’t, all the same, and 
what’s the use bothering over it? Is the storm 
going down any, d’ye think, Maurice?” 

But Maurice could not say that it was in 
the least. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


103 


CHAPTER X. 

‘<NOT TODAY/’ SAID THAD. 

‘‘I wonder how long this measly old storm 
is going to keep us here*?” Maurice was say- 
ing, that afternoon, as he stood on the after- 
deck of the anchored shantyboat, and looked 
at the wild scene out on the raging river. 

They had seen not a sign of life thus far 
around them, since dawn. Even the few boats 
moving at this late season of the year on the 
Father of Waters seemed to have been bottled 
up in such harbors as could be found con- 
veniently near at the time the storm broke 
loose. 

‘^You called me a weather sharp because I 
said it was due; and now you want me to give 
a guess about the end — is that it, Maurice"?’’ 
asked the other, smiling. 

‘^Well, if you can hit it as good this time, 
and encourage a poor ship-wrecked mariner 
I’d be obliged.” 

‘^Say, it ain’t as bad as that. We’ve got a 
lot to be thankful for, I reckon, with this bully 
old boat to hold us, and keep out the cold. For 
one you don’t hear me kicking,” returned 
Thad, earnestly. 


104 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


‘‘Oh! come off; you know mighty well that 
I’m the last boy to run up the white flag. 
Everything’s lovely, and the goose hangs high; 
anyhow, it will later on if I get a crack at one 
on a sandbar further down the river. But what 
do you think of the prospects for clearing?” 
went on Maurice, turning to his chum. 

“Not good for anything today. P’raps the 
old storm will blow itself out tonight, and in 
the morning we may drop out of here. 

“Oh! well, it’s too late now to think of go- 
ing on today, so after all it don’t matter much 
We can pull some more wood on board before 
night, and laugh at the cold,” remarked 
Maurice. 

“Perhaps we’d better be doing it right 
away, then,” observed Thad, with a glance at 
the west; “for dark comes sudden like at this 
time of year, you know.” 

“All right. Get the ax and I’ll see to the 
gun, Thad.” 

“Thinking of more dogs, eh?” 

“Well, no; to tell the truth I had the master 
of one dog in my mind right then,” came the 
reply, as Maurice entered the cabin to take 
the Marlin off the hook on the wall. 

Thad looked a bit thoughtful, but said 
nothing. 

Perhaps they were not so very far away 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


105 


from some shantyboat that bad sought refuge 
in a friendly cove from the gale; and he knew 
the general habit of these floating people was 
to harbor at least one dog to each craft, some- 
times half a dozen. 

That gun might come in handy should they 
And themselves confronted by an angry dog 
owner, demanding the reason why they had 
shot his canine property. 

So they left their home craft, and paddled 
ashore in the little tender, one at a time. 

The ax was soon at work, and the chips 
flying under the lusty strokes of both boys by 
turns. 

Thad had been more or less impressed by 
what his chum said. While Maurice worked 
with the ax he managed to sit by the Are they 
had started, seemingly to keep warm, but in 
reality because the shotgun had been leaned 
against a neighboring tree. 

And ordinarily Thad was far from bemg 
timid by nature; so that it must have been 
some sort of prophetic warning that bade him 
stick to the camp. 

Guess weVe got about enough, eh, Thad?’’ 
demanded the other, as he threw the tool down, 
and breathing heavily, sat alongside his chum 
on the convenient log near the blaze. 

^^As much as we can get aboard, anyhow. 


106 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


With night only an hour off the quicker we 
begin to navigate the better for us. Here 
goes/’ and with that Thad started to carry 
the chopped wood down to where the small 
boat awaited its cargo. 

They were busily engaged in doing this, and 
had really managed to get most of the fuel 
aboard, with Maurice pulling from the deck of 
the anchored craft, and his chum doing the 
work ashore, when Thad heard crunching foot- 
steps above the spot where he crouched. 

Looking up he saw a bearded face thrust 
out from the bank; and almost instinctively he 
knew that the prediction of his companion was 
about to come true. 

Was this the owner of the dead brute that 
lay not more than eighty or one hundred feet 
away? 

Thad felt a sudden cold chill. He was cer- 
tainly not a coward by nature, and had proved 
this at various times in the past; still, there 
was an ugly scowl on that red-bearded face 
that surely stood for new trouble. 

And Thad was glad that he had insisted 
upon keeping the gun ashore with him while 
he performed his end of the duty of transport- 
ing the wood to the shantyboat. 

He also remembered that it was close beside 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


107 


him, where he could lay a hand on it quickly 
if need be. 

Then the man spoke, and his voice was just 
as disagreeable as his face seemed to be — a 
heavy rumble with more or less of threat 
under the surface. 

‘ ^ So, here ye be, hey ^ Wot business hed y er 
ter shoot up my dawg; tell me that, consarn 
jeV’ 

Perhaps he said something much stronger 
than the concluding words; but that does not 
matter. 

Thad gave the signal to his chum to pull, 
for he had the last of the wood stocked in the 
dinghy. Then he turned his attention to the 
man who had addressed him. 

If his face was white it was only natural; 
but his voice did not quiver in the least. 

admit that I shot the dog. He was try- 
ing to kill my friend, who was busy cutting 
wood. I’d do it again, and so would any one. 
What business have you letting such a savage 
dog loose 

Even while talking he edged a trifle toward 
the spot where the gun was standing against 
the bank. The man might take a notion to 
slide down, with the intention of attacking 
him, and Thad wanted to make sure of his line 
of defense, like a wise general always should. 


108 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


‘‘Hey! wot’s thet ye say? I got a boat just 
a leettle way below byer, an’ my dorg’s got a 
right ter run loose. Ye owns up ye shooted 
ther pore critter, does yer? I gotter a notion 
right now ter give yer sumpin ter pay back 
fur wot ye done!” 

He actually threw himself over the edge of 
the little bluff, being angered by such talk on 
the part of a boy. 

Maurice gave a shout from the boat. 

“Look out, there, what you’re doing, or I’ll 
shoot you full of holes!” was what he 
whooped; but since the only weapon they 
possessed was at that moment ashore it can 
be understood that he was only seeking to fill 
the man with sudden consternation. 

Perhaps it did work to some extent, for the 
big fellow rather hesitated as he cast an appre- 
hensive glance out toward the shanty-boat. 

Those few seconds were worth much to 
Thad. 

He had started for the place where the gun 
stood, and which, unfortunately, happened to 
be close to where the man had landed. In- 
deed, had the fellow been aware of the fact 
in the beginning he might easily have cut Thad 
off from his coveted weapon. 

But knowing the absolute necessity for 
obtaining a grip on the Marlin, the boy 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


109 


plunged forward, regardless of the fact that 
in so doing he had to advance toward the 
enemy. 

His aggressive movement rather puzzled the 
other, until he saw the gun leaning there 
against the bank. Then he gave a howl, and 
also projected his bulk forward, evidently with 
the expectation of reaching the firearm first. 

But he was just three seconds too late. 

Thad snatched the weapon up, and drawing 
back both hanuners, held it in a threatening 
attitude. 

^‘Keep back, there, or I’ll do the same to 
you I did to your dog!” cried the excited but 
resolute boy. 

The fellow saw something in the attitude of 
the lad to give him cause for prudence; and 
he immediately drew up, throwing out both 
hands in ^a sudden spasm of alarm. 

^‘Hi! hold on thar, sonny, don’t ye pull them 
triggers hard! It’d be jest murder, ’cause I 
ain’t got nary weepon by me, I swar. I didn’t 
go ter mean anythin’ hard. Corse ye done 
right ter shoot the ornery dawg if he war 
atryin’ ter eat yer pard up. Yuh see I didn’t 
know ther hull facts in ther case, I didn’t. Let 
up easy, now, bub; drap thet gun, won’t yer'?” 
he whined. 

Don’t do it, Thad!” shouted Maurice, danc- 


no 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


ing about on the deck of the flat in his excite- 
ment; ‘‘don’t you trust him an inch, I tell 
you! Make him vamoose the ranch — ^tell him 
to clear out, or you’ll pepper his hide.” 

But Thad needed no such entreaty on the 
part of his chum to know only too well that not 
the slightest reliance could be placed on the 
honor of such a rough customer. 

He continued to cover the man. 

“If you take one step this way I’ll let fly!’^ 
he said, impressively. 

“But I ain’t holdin’ no grudge agin you-uns 
now ’bout thet dawg. Reckons it’s better the 
critter’s got his, ’cause the missus sez as how 
he acted like he wos agwine mad,” expostu- 
lated the man; but there was a gleam in his 
eyes that Thad did not like, and he would not 
take chances. 

“All right, if that’s the case; but all the 
same you threatened me, and I’m not going 
to trust you close. Just back up along the 
beach, and if you make the first move to do 
anything I’m going to shoot. Now, twenty- 
three for yours, mister, skidoo! We don’t 
want your company; not today,” said Thad. 

The man looked at him. He must have seen 
something in the determined manner of the 
lad to influence him in reaching a decision. 
That boy would keep his word; he was ready 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


Ill 


to shoot if crossed; and the way in which he 
had killed the brute of a dog proved his skill 
with the gun he was fondling now. 

‘‘Oh! all right, bub, 111 clear out, if yuh sez 
so; but if I ever get a chanct tub even up this 
hyer score I’m gwine tuh do hit, sure’s yer 
bom!” 

He moved away, muttering, and looking an- 
grily toward the lad; but not once did the 
latter show signs of weakening. 

When the big fellow had vanished from 
sight, Thad hastened to draw the dinghy, 
which Maurice had hastily emptied, back to 
the beach. 

“Just sit in it and keep an eye toward the 
bank, Thad,” sang out the chum on the boat, 
“and leave it to me to drag you out here. That 
chap means mischief, unless I’m mistaken.” 

Since his own thoughts coincided with those 
expressed by Maurice, Thad was satisfied to 
obey instructions. He squatted low in the 
small craft, handled the gun in a way that any 
one ashore could not help seeing, and kept 
watch along the line. 

When he was almost there he saw the man 
break cover, almost directly opposite, and 
could even note the look of disappointment on 
his face as he discovered how the boy had 
eluded his clutches. 


112 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


He shouted out something which neither of 
them wholly understood; but there could be 
no mistaking the ugly manner in which that 
fist was shaken toward them. 

^‘Don’t notice him, and he’ll go away soon. 
It’s getting dusk already, you know, and cold 
enough to freeze his red nose.” 

Maurice proved to be something of a 
prophet, for sure enough presently the man, 
finding that his derisive words met with no 
response, concluded that lingering in the 
vicinity did not pay. 

<< There, he’s gone,” announced Thad, fin- 
ally. 

‘‘A good riddance of bad rubbish,” echoed 
his chum. 

‘H'hope we don’t have visitors in the night,” 
remarked Thad. 

‘MJm; so that is what was on your mind. 
Well, now, I hardly think that fellow, or any 
of his crowd will have the nerve to come here 
and try to swim out to us; and you see they 
can’t get aboard any other way, having no 
boat. Still—” 

‘^You mean that we had better be on the 
safe side, and keep watch?” suggested Thad. 

^‘1 was just going to say something along 
that style. It wouldn’t be a bad idea, you 
know.” 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


113 


‘‘Well, I always did believe that it’s better 
to keep from getting a cold, than to be able 
to cure one.” 

But evidently the man must have deter- 
mined that, with a gun in their possession, 
the boys were not to be easily taken by sur- 
prise, for he did not show up during the entire 
night, much to the relief of both young shanty- 
boat cruisers. 

Perhaps he had no companions to back him 
up in a desperate enterprise; or it may be 
that the comforts of his own cabin appealed 
too much to him on this stormy night. 

Be the cause what it might, both lads were 
satisfied to have the night pass without any 
alarm; though several times when Thad was 
on guard some prowling raccoon or skunk on 
the shore gave him cause to fancy that the 
anticipated trouble was on the point of break- 
ing loose. 

Who the man was, and what manner of boat 
he possessed neither of them ever knew; for 
they caught no glimpse of any craft just be- 
low their stopping place when eventually the 
chance came to continue the voyage. 


114 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER XI. 

NEAEING THE SUNNY SOUTH. 

During the second night the storm began to 
die away, and when another dawn came the 
sun actually shone, though the country looked 
bleak and cold under the blanket of snow that 
had fallen. 

Just as soon as it was advisable they broke 
away from their holding ground and once more 
started down the river, which was still pretty 
rough; but both boys were so sick and tired 
of that place they wanted to leave it for new 
scenes. | 

They were a little anxious lest in some way 
the rough owner of that miserable dog would 
bob up and give them trouble, and not until 
some miles had been navigated did they breathe 
freely. 

And every mile they put behind them meant 
that they were so much closer to the genial 
sunny South, of which they had heard so much. 
After this frigid experience they were of the 
opinion that they could not reach that balmy 
region any too soon to suit them. 

During the day the wind went down, and 
when afternoon was waning they sighted the 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


115 


town of Hickman, which was not a great dis- 
tance from the Tennessee line — the mere men- 
tion of this fact caused Thad to give a cheer. 

Now, they knew that it was not advisable 
to stop long at any river town, for fear of 
trouble with some of the rougher element that 
haunted the docks, but as some of their sup- 
plies had become low, and needed replenishing, 
they drew in, and Maurice went ashore to make 
a purchase, while Thad guarded the boat. 

Contrary to their fears nothing happened to 
give them cause for alarm, and as for the fel- 
lows around the landing, Thad found them 
about on a par with the usual loungers, good- 
natured chaff predominating. Indeed, one of 
them even made him a present of a little yel- 
low cur that had a pair of bright eyes and an 
affectionate muzzle, which tickled Thad im- 
mensely, he had longed so much for a pet. 

They got away from Hickman at a quarter 
to four, with a clear sky and frosty atmosphere 
that promised good sailing weather on the mor- 
row. 

The yeUow dog was immediately named 
Dixie, and took to his new title from the start, 
being a lively little chap, full of fun, and as 
frisky as they make them. 

He promised to be great company for the 
boys, and something of a watchdog, too, when 


116 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


the occasion warranted it, for his sharp bark 
upon hearing any foreign sound was enough 
to arouse the heaviest sleeper. 

Thad declared he would now be able to sleep 
with both eyes shut, for up to this time he had 
been compelled to keep one half open. 

Just as Maurice feared they failed to find 
any place at which to tie up as darkness came 
on, and it looked as though they would finally 
have to depend on their anchor and a stout 
cable. 

As they slowly fioated along close to the 
shore Thad’s sharp eyes finally detected an 
opening, which looked very much as though 
some stream entered the river at this point, 
and upon pushing- in to investigate they found 
that it was indeed so. 

And so they rested comfortably after all, 
though Maurice was a little fearful lest they 
be paid a visit by some of the rough charac- 
ters fioating around the levee at Hickman, and 
who would suppose the little shanty-boat could 
not have gone many miles down-stream be- 
fore pulling up for the night. 

Fortunately for their peace of mind this 
did not happen. Perhaps it was the cold night 
that deterred them, or it may have been that 
Thad had made friends with the Hickman fel- 
lows — no matter, they saw nothing of visitors. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


117 


and in the morning got away in grand style, 
with Dixie barking a farewell to the creek 
that had served them so well as a harbor of 
refuge. 

So they continued on their voyage, always 
making progress when it was at all possible ; 
and with each day’s setting sun drawing 
nearer the goal of their hopes, the great city 
on the lower Mississippi, where Maurice was 
to meet his uncle, and speak a good word for 
his chum. 

It took them a full week to reach Memphis, 
for they had poor days as well as good ones, 
and there were various causes to delay them. 

Maurice found a chance to use his gun again 
one evening when they had tied up in a con- 
venient cove. It seemed that the ducks had a 
liking for that very spot and from time to time 
a little flock would come spinning around the 
point with the intention of alighting there, 
where they would be protected from the strong 
wind that was blowing outside. 

As soon as he discovered what was going 
on Maurice snatched up his gun and with a 
belt of shells dropped into the dinghy, pad- 
dling over to the point, where he landed, and 
hiding among some bushes awaited events. 

They were not long in coming either, for in 
less than five minutes a venturesome band of 


118 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


half a dozen teal came swinging in. Too late 
they saw the boat tied up in the cove, and 
wheeled to depart, when there was a bang! 
bang ! and several concluded to defer their de- 
parture. 

Out came Maurice, and paddling around he 
picked up three birds, to the immense delight 
of Thad, who issued from the cabin at the 
sound of the reports, and of course executed 
one of his incomparable hornpipes on the deck 
at the prospect of another round of game for 
dinner. 

But Maurice was not yet done; this was 
pretty fair for a start, but there should be 
more to follow; so he once again ensconced 
himself in the bushes and waited. 

His patience was rewarded, for in less than 
another five minutes more birds began to head 
in, and he was kept busy banging away, with 
such success that after the battle was over 
eight lay upon the still water of the bayou, 
while several more had floated off down the 
stream. 

Not wishing to let any get away after shoot- 
ing them, the young sportsman put out in 
chase in his dinghy, and succeeded in finding 
two; meanwhile Thad, with one of the poles, 
succeeded in retrieving five of those in the 
lagoon. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


119 


Altogether it was a banner evening, and no 
wonder they felt joyful as they sat around 
the late supper; for Thad, with his mouth 
watering, so he said, for duck, insisted upon 
preparing a couple right away. 

It is not often a fellow can make a fine meal 
from a duck that two hours previous has been 
plunging through the atmosphere from the 
north with a speed of possibly eighty miles an 
hour; but all manner of things may come to 
pass to those who voyage down the mighty 
Mississippi on a shanty-boat. 

The night in this secluded cove was another 
pleasant experience which they must always 
look back to with delight; so it is a cruise of 
this sort is marked by its red and white stones, 
the one indicating trouble, the other joy un- 
speakable. 

Maurice was not yet done with his business 
as a provider of viands for the table, and go- 
ing ashore as the moonlight tempted him, gun 
in hand, he prowled around and presently had 
his suspicions confirmed, for he came upon a 
fat ’possum that yielded up the ghost at the 
summons of the Marlin gun. 

Thad nearly had a fit when he saw what his 
chum was bringing aboard. 

Once he had tasted the animal when with 
some darkies in the brush — they had gone 


120 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


’coon hunting with a pack of dogs and unex- 
pectedly running across a ’possum Thad was 
fortunate enough to get a few bites of the ani- 
mal when done — it struck his fancy and he had 
never forgotten the sweet morsel. 

bet you had that rascal in mind when you 
bought those sweet potatoes from the coon yes- 
terday at Memphis,” he declared, shaking his 
forefinger at the other. 

Maurice pleaded innocent of the charge, and 
declared that the only one in the party at all 
able to prophesy regarding the weather or any- 
thing else was Thad himself. 

^^All the same I imagine they’ll just about 
fit the crime, and tomorrow we’ll see how you 
can get up a real Southern dinner. Now that 
we are entering Dixieland we must pay more 
attention to the fads that these people cater 
to, and ’possum heads the list,” remarked 
Maurice, holding the plump animal up so that 
they could admire his proportions. 

The way the little yellow dog jumped and 
barked made them suspect that he knew some- 
thing about hunting ’coons and ’possum and 
indeed there are few canines in the South that 
do not ; so Maurice declared that if the chance 
ever came he meant to try Dixie in that ca- 
pacity. 

There was one good thing about this voy- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


121 


age, and that was the fact of the ever moving 
current of the river — so long as they kept in 
its swing they could count on being wafted 
closer and closer to their destination. 

What they had to beware of were the many 
false channels that led nowhere ; or else after 
winding in and out for ten miles brought the 
traveler out upon the main stream just a mile 
below where he entered. 

Closely each night Maurice studied his chart 
and at the same time kept in mind the warn- 
ing he had received that this map was likely to 
prove wrong in many cases, so quickly does 
the mighty current cut new channels along its 
course. 


122 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER XII. 

THE LOST TRAP. 

It was a quiet evening. 

Outside, the moon was just creeping up over 
the trees, and shining from a cold looking sky. 

Out upon the broad river the current swept 
past with its constant gurgle and swish, ever 
heading into the mysterious Southland, which 
our boys yearned to reach. 

Maurice was doing some sort of writing at 
the table, by the light of the only lantern they 
possessed, and which did not afford any too 
generous a light. 

Thad was rummaging about, looking every- 
where for a steel trap he had once possessed, 
and which now seemed strangely missing. 

‘‘I wanted to try it ashore the worst kind 
tonight, because IVe never stopped thinking 
of that fine ’possum we had; and from the 
signs where we picked up our wood I’m just 
dead sure a family of the ringtails hold out,” 
he was saying, as he turned things over, and 
looked in the most inaccessible corners. 

Thad was gifted with a streak of stubborn- 
ness ; when he wanted anything badly he hated 
to give it up the worst kind. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


123 


Consequently, although he had apparently 
hunted that whole cabin over from one end to 
the other, he kept ‘‘nosing around,” as his 
cruising mate observed, rooting here and 
there, and muttering his disgust. 

“IVe been told that there’s such a thing as 
putting a thing away too carefully, and now 
I believe it,” remarked Maurice, as he looked 
up for the tenth time to see the other bending 
far over, and actually pawing into a dark hole 
under the sheathing of the cabin side. 

“But you remember seeing that trap after 
we started?” complained Thad. 

“Sure I have; but since that early day you 
must have tucked it away in some place that’s 
just disappeared. Joking aside, I wonder if 
it was that thing fell overboard the other day 
when you were romping about the deck with 
Dixie?” continued Maurice, as if a new idea 
had come to him. 

Thad had a broad grin on his face as he 
turned around, still on his knees. 

“What’s this?” he remarked, holding some 
object up. 

“Well, now,” drawled the other, in his Ken- 
tucky way, “looks to me like it might be a 
trap ; and since we only had one aboard it must 
be the missing muskrat gripper. Where ’d 
you hit it?” 


124 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


this blessed hole, and for the life of 
me I don’t remember ever putting it in there. 
If I did it must have been while I was asleep 
and dreaming.” 

‘‘Sure you didn’t expect to get a rat, and 
try and call it a bally ’possum? Hey! what 
are you after now ? Expect to find the mate to 
it perhaps. Think traps grow from seed like 
corn?” Maurice exclaimed, as he saw the other 
once more thrust his arm into the hole. 

“Why, I tell you this ain’t the trap I had 
at all. Must have been one poor old The 
Badgeley owned. P’raps he kept his traps in 
here. Say, wouldn’t it open your eyes some 
now if I pulled out a second one of the same ? 
Now, what d’ye think of that?” 

“I declare if it isn’t another of the same 
kind. They do grow then. Any more where 
that came from, Thad?” demanded the boy 
at the table, beginning to show a decided in- 
terest. 

“Oh! I don’t know. Would you say that 
was anything like the breed?” and he con- 
tinued to drag out objects which he held up 
until Maurice had counted five. 

“Here, you’ve gone and loaded that hole to 
have the laugh on me; now just own up!” he 
exclaimed, finally, throwing up his hands as 
if surrendering. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


125 


‘‘Honest Injun, I never set eyes on a single 
one of the lot before now. You can see they’re 
awfully rusty, too, and need oiling, because 
they’ve been lyin’ in that cubbyhole lots of 
months. I’ve had the Tramp nearly a year 
now, and the old fisherman built it himself, 
he told me, meaning some day to fioat down the 
Mississippi. Just to think that we’re doing 
it instead of him.” 

“Sure there’s no more of ’em inside that 
bully old cache?” demanded Maurice, laugh- 
ing as he surveyed the pile of rusty traps, 
which no doubt has once been used by the for- 
mer owner of the boat to add to his scanty in- 
come by suppljdng him with numerous pelts 
of muskrats in the swamp not far from the 
town on the Ohio. 

“I reckon I got the whole bunch; but no 
harm in making one more try,” and as he 
spoke Thad pushed his arm again into the 
dark opening. 

Maurice watched him as if amused. 

“Another, eh?” he laughed, as he saw Thad 
draw back, with an exclamation of surprise 
and wonder. 

“No trap this time ; but something else poor 
old The must have shoved in there for safe- 
keeping.” 

When he held the object up Maurice saw 


126 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


that it seemed to be a little packet, wrapped 
in a dingy piece of oiled cloth. 

^^Well, I declare, that’s mighty queer. 
Looks like the old fellow used that hole for 
keeping his valuables in. Bring it over to the 
light, Thad, and let’s take a peep at it.” 

Thad was only too eager to do so, for some- 
how the fact of finding a treasure-trove aboard 
the Tramp excited him not a little. 

So he knelt down beside the rough little 
table that served them in so many capacities, 
yet which could be turned up against the cabin 
wall in case more room was needed at any time. 

‘^Here, take my knife and cut that cord,” 
said Maurice, when his chum had been clumsily 
fingering the wrapping that bound the odd lit- 
tle packet for what to him seemed an unneces- 
sarily long time. 

^^Guess I’ll just have to,” observed 'Thad, 
with a grin; since my fingers all seem like 
thumbs. Here she goes, then,” and he started 
to use the keen edge of the steel blade. 

^‘Wonder what it is,” remarked the other, 
his eyes glued curiously on the packet, which 
was not more than five or six inches in length. 

Peels just like a book,” returned Thad, 
starting to unwrap the cloth that bound the 
object in its waterproof folds. 

‘‘A book, eh? Like as not some sort of 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


127 


diary. IVe never heard you talk much about 
the old fellow; was he educated at all, and 
could he write d’ye think?” demanded his 
comrade, with awakening interest. 

‘‘Sure he could. Well, what did I tell you? 
It’s a book all right, and p’raps old The kept 
a record of the fish and muskies he caught 
winter and summer. He was a queer old duck, 
though he did seem to think a heap of me. 
Wow! look at that, would you!” 

Thad’s startled exclamation was not in the 
least surprising, considering what had hap- 
pened. 

As he idly opened the book there was dis- 
closed a little collection of genuine govern- 
ment yellowback bills, not one of which was 
less than ten dollars in its denomination. 

No wonder both boys stared, their eyesj 
seemingly “as big as saucers,” as Thad after- 
wards described it. 

Mechanically Thad began to count the money 
that had come into their possession so mirac- 
ulously. 

“Three hundred and thirty dollars! Did 
you ever hear of such luck in all your born 
days?” he said, his face lighting up with de- 
light. 

“But it isn’t ours, you know, Thad. He 
gave you the boat, but how do we know he ever 


128 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


meant you to have this money? Can’t you 
just remember something that would explain 
it all? Didn’t he say just a little to you at 
some time about it?” 

Maurice looked anxiously from the pile of 
bills to Thad’s sober face, as though urging 
him to exert himself to the limit to bring back 
to his mind some clue that would unravel the 
mystery. 

And Thad suddenly became anxious him- 
self ; he cast a quick look toward the little win- 
dow of the shanty-boat cabin, just as if op- 
pressed with a fear that hostile eyes might 
even then be fastened upon them. 

So quickly does the possession of riches 
bring new troubles ; up to that moment such a 
thing as a possible intruder had been far from 
occurring to Thad; but circumstances alter 
cases, and now they had something worth 
stealing — and he grew afraid. 

So his first act was to push the money out of 
sight under an old magazine that Maurice 
had been reading, one they had secured from 
Bob Archiable, the itinerant clock mender, 
when aboard his fioating home. 

remember now that when I went to see 
poor old The at the hospital, when they sent 
for me, he told me that he wanted me to have 
the Tramp for my own. Then he started to 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


129 


say something more, but began to choke so 
he could hardly breathe. The nurse tried to 
ease him, but he died right there before me. 
I’ve never forgot how mournful like he looked 
at me. I always thought the old man was try- 
ing to tell me something more. And now I 
believe it was this!” 

^‘That’s right, old fellow. But let’s look 
into the book. I see it has lots of writing in 
it, and perhaps we’ll get a clue that way.” 

The book proved to be a rude sort of a diary, 
in which the river fisherman kept an account 
of the various little matters which concerned 
his rather monotonous life. 

Now and then, however, there were refer- 
ences to his expectation of realizing some long 
anticipated pleasure ; and the name of 

Bunny” began to appear frequently. 

^^What do you make of it?” asked Thad, 
after they had read for half an hour; he re- 
lied upon the sagacity of his companion to 
solve what was proving a puzzle to him. 

^‘Why, it seems to me that Bunny must 
have been some one dear to the old man. I 
kind of think it was a daughter who married 
and went down the river some time or other ; 
for his thoughts seem to have always been 
bent on that coming trip away down in Dixie, 
when he grew too old to fish alone. But go on 


130 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


and read some more. I reckon we’ll catch on 
sure before the end.” 

Maurice settled himself more comfortably 
to listen. 

Sounds good to me, what you say; and 
that’s about my mind, too,” observed the one 
who had discovered the treasure-trove, as he 
once more turned to the soiled diary to con- 
tinue reading what the former owner of the 
shanty-boat had written, in his crabbed hand. 

^‘Here it is, at last; just listen,” he ex- 
claimed, fully ten minutes afterward, and then 
he went on: 

met a man today that had just come up 
from down-river way. And he knows George 
Stormway well. He told me Bunny was get- 
ting on right well, and had three children. 
Last time I heard there wa’nt but two mouths 
to feed. But he said George was laid up some- 
times with the shakes, and money mighty 
scarce in their cabin. Time about for Old The 
to make up his mind to just drop in on Bunny, 
and surprise her. If I live to fall that’s what 
I’m going to do, sure. I reckon if I left 
here in October I’d bring up at Morehead 
sometime about the end of November. But 
It’ll be a long wait till then. As I get older I 
seem to want to see the gal and her kids more’n 
more.” 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


131 


Maurice looked at Thad, and perhaps there 
was a suspicious moisture in his eyes as he 
winked violently several times. 

‘‘The poor old chap never hung out, Thad. 
If he had he would be on board this boat right 
now, carrying his little treasure down to his 
Bunny, to give her a surprise. That was a 
tough deal all right,” he said, reaching out his 
hand for the charts they had secured of the 
lower Mississippi. 

“What’s up?” asked the other and his 
voice was rather husky, so that he had to 
cough several times to clear it. 

“Why, d’ye know, I was wondering where 
that place might be. I don’t remember hav- 
ing noticed it; and p’raps it is too small to be 
put on the map.” 

Thad went on reading in the diary, while 
his chum placed a forefinger on the chart, and 
ran it slowly down. 

“Here’s where we are, right now,” he was 
saying, half to himself; “and down below — 
well, I declare, if that ain’t the queerest thing. 
What d’ye think, Thad, we must be only a 
day’s run above Morehead. It’s on the map 
all right, even if it is only a wood station, 
where the river steamers stop to load up !” 

Thad had to examine the location to make 
sure, and all the while he was saying eagerly: 


132 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


just like all this happened on purpose, 
Maurice — my wanting that trap so bad, and 
not finding it, and then looking in the hole 
in the side of the cabin, to strike this! I 
reckon old The’s spirit must have been push- 
ing me along ; and Maurice, there ain’t but one 
thing for us to do now.” 

^^Yes,” said the other, nodding his head 
with determination; “this money don’t be- 
long to us. Bunny needs it, and Bunny’s go- 
ing to get it, if we can find her out!” 

“Shake on that, Pard Maurice. I knew 
you’d say it!” cried Thad. 

And then and there they ratified the bar- 
gain with a grip that stood for everything 
that was loyal and true. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


133 


CHAPTER XIII. 

THE FACE AT THE WINDOW. 

‘‘What else did you find in what he wrote 
asked Maurice, after they had dropped each 
other’s hand again. 

“Nothing much. He keeps mentioning 
Bunny often, showing that she was getting 
more’n more on his mind. And twice he 
speaks about me, and how much he had come 
to think of me. I’m glad to read that. Here 
he even wonders if I’d like to go down river 
with him in the Fall. Ain’t it a queer world, 
after all, Maurice? Just to think how things 
come around; for here we are right near the 
place poor old The wanted to visit, and carry- 
ing his little pile to Bunny?” 

“Nothing else worth telling?” asked the 
other. 

“He speaks here about feeling bad, and 
hopes it ain’t his old trouble springing back 
on him again. Then the writing stops. I 
reckon he was taken sick about that time. I 
tried to nurse him, you know; but when he 
went out of his head I got scared, and ran 
for a doctor. Then they took him away to 
that fine hospital at Evansville, because he 


134 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


used to live there. After that it ended right 
soon.” 

^‘Well, I guess the best thing for us to 
do would be to hide the book and the 
money where you found it. All these months 
it’s stayed in that black hole safe, and it can 
stand another day or so.” 

So, taking the advice of Maurice, Thad had 
placed the bills once more between the pages 
of the diary, which he carefully pushed into 
its former hiding place. 

^‘Perhaps Bunny’ll be glad to have his book, 
too. If she’s his girl she’d like to read what 
he said about her,” suggested Maurice. 

‘‘That’s so,” replied the other, getting up 
from his knees. 

Maurice saw him look up instinctively to- 
ward the little window ; and then spring hastily 
to his feet. 

At the same moment he thought he heard 
some sound outside, as if a floating object had 
struck against the anchored shanty-boat. 

It might be a log, as frequently happened, 
for there were many such drifting on the sur- 
face of the big river, washed from the banks 
above by some local flood. 

Thad, without wasting any time in thought, 
sprang to the door. This had a faculty of 
catching sometimes, and requiring more or 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


135 


less labor before it could be thrown open ; and 
of course it had to play Thad such a trick just 
then, when he seemed so desirous of making 
haste. 

Maurice, seeming to scent trouble of some 
sort from the strange actions of his chum, 
waited to snatch up the old faithful Marlin 
twelve-bore. It had seen them through other 
scrapes, and might come in handy again. 

Finally, after considerable exertion, Thad 
managed to open the stubborn door, after 
which he rushed out on deck, followed by his 
mate and the barking Dixie. 

^^What’d you think you saw?” demanded 
Maurice, as he discovered by the light of the 
moon that the deck was devoid of anything in 
the way of peril. 

face at the window! Some man was 
aboard ! Oh ! I wonder if he saw me put that 
book away?” exclaimed the excited Thad. 

‘‘But where is he now?” and the speaker 
glanced toward the shore, which was a good 
twenty feet away, the gap being far too wide 
to allow of any man jumping it. 

“There’s something moving away below 
there in the shadow of the trees on the water!” 
exclaimed Thad. 

“A log, p’raps,” remarked the other, care- 
lessly. 


136 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


‘‘But I did see a face, I’m sure of it; and 
if it was a man he just jumped into his skiff 
and put off before I could get out. I wish I 
knew for sure.” 

Thad made a move toward the little dinghy 
which lay upon the deck, fastened with a chain 
and padlock, so that it could not be stolen by 
any light-fingered coon. 

“Hold on there, none of that. Let me catch 
you chasing down-river after an unlmown man 
in a skiff. Why, he’d just as like as not upset 
you if you accused him of boarding our boat. 
Settle down and try to forget it all. I reckon 
it was only imagination after all.” 

But Thad continued to shake his head, and 
declare that he did not believe his eyes could 
play him such a trick. 

“If it was a man, Maurice, and he once saw 
all that money, why he’d come back again to 
try and steal it,” he said, solemnly. 

“Oh, I guess not, ’’laughed his chum, holding 
up the gun in a suggestive way; “at least not 
as long as we could defend our property with 
this bully old shooter. But better make up 
your mind it was a log, and let it go at that.” 

“Wish I could,” grumbled Thad, shaking 
that stubborn head of his. 

“Well, how about that trapping expedition 
' — plenty of steel in sight, and a nice fat young 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


137 


ringtail would be just the boss disb tomorrow. 
Anything doing ? ’ ’ 

So Thad once more consented to drop the 
engrossing subject of old The Badgeley’s 
treasure-trove, and pay attention to the mat- 
ter of supplying their scanty larder with 
meat. 

^‘Nothing to hinder my setting the whole 
outfit on the bank yonder, is there?” he de- 
manded, entering the lighted cabin again, and 
thinking how snug it seemed after a short 
time on the cold deck. 

don’t reckon there is. Chum Thad. If 
one ’possum is good, two ought to some better, 
and as for three, oh! my!” and he smacked his 
lips as if in joy over the prospect of a feast. 

Accordingly Thad carried out his plan. 
With some dripping from fried bacon he 
greased each trap until the jaws worked 
readily. Then he went ashore in the little 
tender, bearing the lantern in order to make 
sure of his work. 

Maurice sat there and watched the shore. 

There was no reason why he should fondle 
his gun all the while, but he persisted in do- 
ing so ; which might be taken as an indication 
that the words of his companion had made a 
deeper impression on the scoffer than he would 
admit. 


138 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


In half an hour Thad came aboard again, 
with cold fingers, but a satisfied air. 

‘‘It’s only a question of how many,” he 
observed, as he once more fastened the dinghy 
with the chain and lock. 

“All right then. I’m going to make up my 
mouth for fat pig tomorrow, and look out 
for squalls if you disappoint me,” and Mau- 
rice, as he spoke, led the way inside. 

Thad was very particular how he saw to the 
fastenings of the door, an operation his chum 
watched with many a chuckle. 

“Say, if he has as poor luck opening doors 
as some people I know, he never would get in 
here without arousing the dead; get that, 
Thad?” 

“Well, you never can tell about doors. Just 
when you want them to open smart like, they 
won’t budge. Then, when you’d like the 
pesky old thing to hang fire she slides open 
just like the track was greased with mutton 
tallow. I’m one of the kind that likes to 
make sure!” 

“Oh! I reckon you are right. Anyhow, we 
used to write in school that it’s no use locking 
the stable door after the horse is stolen. But 
looky here, do you know it’s turning-in time — 
ten o’clock as near as I can tell. Me for the 
bunk, right quick!” 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


139 


Thad sat there for some little time after his 
chum had crawled into his comfortable, if 
cramped nest. 

Finally he, too, began to get ready to retire. 
On these cold nights the boys only partly im- 
dressed. They did not have any too many 
blankets or comfortables, and it did get mighty 
dreary in the cabin after the fire went out, 
with the wind sweeping over that wide stretch 
of flowing water that came out of the wintry 
North. 

But before Thad put out the lantern, he 
placed it just where he could lay his hand on 
it at a second’s notice and also made sure to 
have matches handy. 

Nor was that all. He quietly picked up the 
old Marlin, and deposited it alongside his 
bunk. 

Then came darkness, as he blew out the 
light. Thad heard a sound not unlike a 
chuckle from the opposite bunk ; but although 
he imagined his comrade was laughing at all 
his preparations for trouble, the fact did not 
give him much concern. 

When his mind was made up nothing could 
turn Thad aside. 

No doubt he woke up at regular intervals 
during that night, and rising to his elbow lis- 


140 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


tened eagerly to the various sounds coming 
from without. 

The little window was well within the range 
of his vision, and as the moon shone brilliantly 
without he could see its entire dimensions 
plainly. 

But long ago an iron bar had been fastened 
across the exact center of the opening, since 
the former owner of the shanty-boat did not 
enjoy the thought that roving boys might en- 
ter and pillage while he was on his route, ped- 
dling the buffalo fish he caught. 

It would have to be a pretty small individ- 
ual who could force his way through that 
window; and yet Thad’s fears induced him to 
observe it with considerable apprehension. 

But the night passed without any alarm. 

If strangers landed on the deck of the 
shanty-boat while the young owners slept, 
they failed to make their presence known. 

Morning came at last. 

Both boys were early astir, as was their cus- 
tom; the coming of daylight served to lure 
them from their bunks; and indeed on many 
occasions they would have been getting break- 
fast before, only that there was need of hus- 
banding their scanty stock of oil. 

Maurice, knowing that his chum was eager 
to learn whether any spoils had fallen to his 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


141 


traps, volunteered to cook the limited morn- 
ing meal, while Thad paddled ashore. 

He was almost through, and the coffee was 
giving a most appetizing odor to the surround- 
ing air, when the trapper came paddling out. 

Maurice watched operations with more or 
less interest. 

First of all Thad threw the traps aboard, 
trying to look disappointed while so doing. 

‘^Oh! come off, you!” cried his chum, who 
could see that there was something assumed 
in the actions of the returned sportsman; 

think I don’t just glimpse a tail like a round 
file sticking up over the gunnel*? Just as you 
said last night, it’s only a question of how 
many/^ 

‘‘One!” said Thad, as he tossed a young 
’possum on deck. 

“But that tail is still there!” cried his com- 
rade. 

“Two!” 

“My! you make my mouth water some. 
That tail — ” 

“Three, and that takes your old tail. Now, 
what d’ye say to that for good luck. Ain’t 
we going to live high for a whiled I don’t 
suppose you happened to see anything sus- 
picious around*?” and Thad, as he spoke, 
handed up the gun which he had made sure 


142 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


to carry with him ‘‘in case any more vicious 
dogs chanced to be roaming near by/^ he had 
explained at the time he departed. 

“Why, no, of course not; but what makes 
you ask such a silly question as that, Thad?’’ 

“Silly it may be, but I give you my word 
I heard a man cough just as I climbed into the 
dinghy,’’ asserted Thad. 

But Maurice only smiled. Truth to tell he 
felt positive that there had been nothing to 
the scare of the preceding night. Surely the 
ordinarily alert Dixie must have barked had 
any stranger been moving about on the deck 
while they sat in the cabin. 

They were soon busy at the table. On the 
preceding day they had been fortunate enough 
to buy a loaf of bread from a woman on a 
canal-boat that was tied to the bank, her hus- 
band being temporarily employed at some 
work on shore. 

Butter they had none, but the sharp appe- 
tites for which the outdoor life was responsi- 
ble, craved none, and things tasted good at 
all times; the only anxiety that arose was^in 
connection of quantity. 

“Wood’s mighty low, and as there’s 
chance of bad weather today, after that red 
in the sky this morning, I move we lay in a 
stock while we have the chance.” 

“Second the motion,” quickly added Thad. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


143 


‘‘All right. Ill rig up our endless carry 
then, while you clear the table, after you get 
enough to eat,” and Maurice went out on the 
deck, where he could be heard working with 
the little tender. 

Thad looked after him, and scratched his 
head. Then he did a most extraordinary 
thing, which was nothing more or less than 
reaching down and taking the packet from the 
hole in the wall, stripping the cover from the 
book, and wrapping up a piece of wood in its 
place. 

Then he thrust the deception in the hole, 
and after a look about him hid the diary, with 
its precious contents, inside the coffeepot, 
which he had emptied of its contents, and 
cleaned. 

Perhaps he was playing a practical joke 
on his chum; but his face was too sober to 
indicate this. 

The probability was that Thad felt uneasy, 
and as both of them were apt to be away from 
the craft at the same time, in the process of 
wood gathering, he intended to make things 
as secure as possible during his absence. 

Which was conclusive evidence that at least 
he had not changed his mind concerning the 
fact of a human face having been pressed 
against that little window on the previous 
night. 


144 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER XIV. 

^‘MOEEHEAD— OR BUST!'’ 

When Thad came out he found that his com- 
rade had gone ashore, taking the ax with him. 

Indeed, the sound of lusty blows told that 
he was already hard at work, securing a sup- 
ply of the necessary fuel. 

Thad shut the door of the cabin. 

He would have locked it, no doubt, only that 
it happened Maurice had the key in his pocket 
just then. 

So Thad shrugged his shoulders, and drag- 
ging the little ferry-boat over the twenty feet 
of water he pulled himself ashore. 

It was easy to locate the chopper by the 
sounds that arose; and so he soon joined his 
mate, ready to spell him in the labor entailed 
by the necessity for fuel. 

The wood burned so quickly, with a strong 
draught always causing the stove to roar, that 
large quantities of fuel were absolutely neces- 
sary. 

Both boys handled an ax first-rate, and in- 
deed, Thad could equal many an experienced 
woodsman in the accuracy of his strokes; while 
Maurice was not far behind him. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


145 


When the chance came, and Maurice 
stopped for a breathing spell, the second re- 
lay came into action; and once more the chips 
flew as the fallen oak branches were cut into 
stove lengths. 

By the time it came Thad’s turn again to 
rest he wandered off, much to the amusement 
of Maurice, who knew whither his thoughts 
must be roving. 

Just as he swung the ax above his head for 
a downward stroke he received an electric 
shock. 

Thad was calling his name, calling in an ex- 
cited tone, too, as if there was dire need of the 
other’s presence. 

‘‘Bring the gun! bring the gun!” 

That seemed to be the tenor of the shouts; 
and as he dropped his tool Maurice swooped 
up the Marlin, which was standing against an 
adjoining tree, and jumped for the river bank. 

He knew that whatever had happened Thad 
wanted him at the water’s edge; and it was in 
that direction he hastened as fast as his legs 
could carry him. 

Twice in his haste he fell down, tripping 
over trailing vines; for the continued shouts 
of his chum startled him. 

And when he burst out of the thicket, to 


146 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


stand on the river bank, close to where Thad 
was yelling, this was what he saw : 

A row-boat was speeding down the river, 
urged on by the lusty movements of a red- 
headed man who was sitting in it; Thad danced 
about on the deck of the swamp, pointing after 
the fleeing party, and calling on Maurice to 
‘‘give him both barrels, the thief!’’ 

But Maurice knew that it was useless, since 
the other was by this time out of range, and 
the gun contained only small shot. 

Nevertheless, urged on by the frantic ap- 
peals of Thad he did level the Marlin, and 
bang away, though he saw the man duck down 
before the reports came. 

After the bombardment was over the red- 
head again poked into view, and the fugitive 
made a movement with his hand to indicate 
his poor opinion of such useless business. 

Maurice, fearing the worst, began to drag 
the boat in to shore. 

Dixie, having been drawn from his prowling 
around in search of game by the shouts and 
shots, leaped in even before the little dinghy 
had reached the bank. 

By the time Maurice climbed out on the deck 
Thad seemed to have recovered from his ex- 
citement to some extent. 

“Didn’t I tell you I saw a face, and wasn’t 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


147 


it a sorrel-top, too? Mebbe you’ll believe me 
next time, my boy,” he said, impressively. 

“Where was he, and what was he doing?” 
demanded Maurice, showing signs of alarm, 
and looking a bit weak as he contemplated the 
grave consequences that might follow this 
raid. 

“In the cabin, of course, and making him- 
self at home. He had his boat on the other 
side there, so I never suspected anything 
wrong till he dashed out, jumped into it, and 
pulled like everything.” 

“Were you on board then?” asked Maurice. 

“Just climbing on deck when he came jump- 
ing out like a whirlwind.” 

“Perhaps you disturbed him in his game 
then?” suggested Maurice making a bee-line 
for the open door. 

When a few seconds later the other followed 
him it was to see Maurice on hands and knees 
before the little opening in the wall of the 
cabin, thrusting in his arm as far as he could. 

“Oh! Thad, it’s gone — the thief got away 
with poor Bunny’s money!” he was exclaim- 
ing, his voice full of horrer. 

“Well, he would have hooked it, only for 
something I did that you’d have called silly 
if you’d seen me!” 

And with this complacent remark Thad 


148 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


coolly walked over to the shelf where some of 
their cooking utensils stood, took down the 
battered old coffeepot, and throwing back the 
lid, thrust his hand inside. 

The astonished eyes of his mate followed 
each little proceeding with rare interest; and 
when Maurice saw the well remembered diary 
of old appear, which being opened disclosed 
the lovely yellowbacks nestling within, he gave 
a shout twice repeated, while he swung his 
hat around his head. 

‘‘Bully for you, Thad! I take it all back, 
every word! It surely does pay to be cau- 
tious, even if people call you an old woman. 
Only for that he might have found the money; 
and then how mean we’d feel. Tell me what 
you did. He acted like he was satisfied he’d 
done a big thing.” 

“Well, perhaps he knows better now, if he’s 
had time to tear open the package I put in 
place of this book; for it was a nice fat sliver 
of wood!” laughed Thad. 

Thereupon Maurice grappled him with a 
bear-like hug, and waltzed him out on deck, 
to the intense delight of Dixie, who seemed 
to think all this demonstration must be for his 
benefit, for he set up a furious barking and 
snapped at the heels of the dancing boys. 

When they went ashore again things were 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


149 


left differently. The cabin door was locked, 
with Dixie inside. They could depend on his 
snappy barking to give warning of any unin- 
vited guest aboard. 

But the wood-cutting proceeded without 
further alarm. 

True, Thad was so nervous over the matter 
that he insisted on carrying what fuel they 
had cut down to the dinghy every little while, 
just so he could call out to the yellow cur, and 
have him give a reassuring bark. 

And finally the several loads had been safely 
ferried across the watery gap, so that the 
cruisers were ready to start moving. 

The anchor was raised by means of a primi- 
tive but effective derrick Maurice had devised. 
This he also made use of in handling the 
square fish net which could be dropped over 
the side, baited, and then lifted half an hour 
later, with more or less generous results. Of 
course this method of fishing was only to be 
enjoyed while they were at anchor. It is in 
general use along the Ohio river; and indeed, 
Maurice had even seen pictures of the same 
thing in the magazine lying on the table, and 
which illustrated queer doings far off in Uncle 
Sam’s Philippine possessions. 

Once again they were floating southward. 


150 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


with a moving panorama of shore to interest 
them. 

Maurice was figuring on the swiftness of 
the current, just how many miles an hour it 
ran at this point, and when they were likely 
to bring up at Morehead. 

think we ought to make it by sun-down, 
Thad,’^ he finally announced, after finishing 
his complicated calculations. 

‘‘You make me feel good, partner, when you 
say that,’’ returned his chum, who was han- 
dling the sweep and keeping the boat a certain 
distance from the shore, where they could get 
the full benefit of the current without taking 
undue risks of being swept out on the broad 
bosom of the majestic river. 

“Yes, I know what’s on your mind. You’d 
like to get rid of our responsibility, and hand 
that packet over to Bunny,” remarked Mau- 
rice. 

“Wonder what she’s like; sounds as if she 
might be a little girl; but that couldn’t be, for 
she was his daughter,” Thad said. 

“Yes, and has three kids, the book said. Oh! 
that must have been a pet name for her when 
she was little. The chances are we’ll find her 
a strapping big woman, something like that 
one we bought our last loaf of bread from.” 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


151 


‘‘Well, she won’t take after her pa then, 
that’s all, Maurice.” 

“Why, was he small,” asked the other. 

“I always thought so, for a man; not quite 
as tall as I am; and with a voice like a lady’s. 
I liked old The; and I wish he had only lived 
long enough to deliver his own money to 
Bunny,” Thad went on. 

“I was wondering where that fellow came 
from, Thad.” 

“Who, our visitor of last night and this 
morning? Oh! I suppose he’s got a shack 
somewhere below here, and was on the way 
home from an up-river town when he sighted 
our craft, and crept aboard to see if there was 
anything he could pick up.” 

“That’s about the right thing. Say, I bet 
he was hopping mad when he tore open that 
package, and saw what he had drawn in the 
lottery, eh, Thad?” 

“Mad would never fill the bill. I hope he 
don’t wait up for us, and give us a shot or two 
when we sail past his cabin. I’d hate the 
worst kind to have my skin filled with shot; 
and nobody could ever prove who did it. 
That’s one reason why I’ve steered further 
away from the bank than we generally keep, 
you notice, Maurice,” 

“Well, that’s level old head on your shoul- 


152 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


ders, my boy. The fellow who gets you nap- 
ping will have to tumble out of bed right early 
in the morning, I reckon,” laughed Maurice, 
patting his chum patronizingly on the shoul- 
ders. 

And I keep one eye on the shore, too, pret- 
ty much all the time. Just let me see anybody 
moving, and I’m ready to drop flat till the 
storm rolls by. What’s that over there right 
now, Maurice?” 

He pointed with quivering Anger at some 
object that seemed to be bending down the 
bushes on a certain projecting point which 
they happened to be approaching. 

‘‘Don’t worry; it’s all right. That is only a 
cow, for you can see her horns from here, 
Thad.” 

“But seeing horns sometimes spells trouble. 
They say the devil mounts a flne pair, you 
know. A cow, Maurice, means human kind 
near by; that stands for a cabin; and how do 
we know but what our sorrel-top Mend of this 
mornuag owns the ranch. Just lie down be- 
hind that box, or go into the cabin till we drift 
past. I’ll feel easier when we leave the thing 
a mile above.” 

A hail from the shore presently came float- 
ing over the water; but it was a negro who 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


153 


called, and he only wanted to know if they 
had any coffee they would spare him. 

Since their entire stock amounted to just 
enough for a scant week, with meagre chances 
for replenishing the caddy when exhausted, 
since their funds were very low, of course they 
had to reply in the negative. 

The darky was inclined to be talkative, as 
is usually the case, and even followed them 
half a mile along the bank, trying to find some 
basis for a dicker. 

“Thank goodness he can’t cross that creek!” 
exclaimed Maurice, as they passed the mouth 
of quite a good sized stream that flowed into 
the enormous river, adding its mite to the 
gigantic fiood. 

The colored gentleman looked as though it 
would only require the least encouragement 
for him to step in and swim across; but as this 
was not forthcoming he waved his ebony arm 
in farewell and turned back again. 

Thad breathed easier. 

Nevertheless, for hours he continued to scan 
the shore-line ahead; and once, when some 
unseen hunter fired at some sort of game back 
from the river’s edge, the sweep-tender was 
seen to duck his head mechanically, much to 
the amusement of his companion. 

The day grew old, and they had made unin- 


154 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


terrupted progress, not even stopping for the 
midday meal. While Thad held the long oar 
his mate slung some sort of a hot meal to- 
gether, which satisfied their voracious appe- 
tites and warmed them as well. 

‘‘Where’s your storm?” asked Thad, about 
the middle of the afternoon, as he glanced up 
at the sky. 

“Here, you’re squinting in the wrong direc- 
tion, man. Suppose you look to the south- 
ward, a little veering toward the west. Don’t 
you glimpse some dark clouds there?” 

“Of course,” Thad agreed; “but that’s a 
poor sign. Why, you can nearly always see 
some clouds hanging low down there. It’s 
been getting warmed right smart. That sun 
feels almost hot to me.” 

“That’s a pretty good sign of rain, that sel- 
dom fails. But what do we care? Our roof 
don’t leak, Thad!” 

“No, but it will be tough if the downpour 
comes just when we want to look for George 
Stormways and Bunny. I suppose, though, 
we could tie up at Morehead and wait till it 
passes by.” 

“Hope we haven’t passed it already,” said 
Maurice, looking serious. 

“Oh! I don’t think that could be possible, 
do you? If the place is big enough to get 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


155 


marked on the chart, it ought to be of a size 
for two fellows to see it in passing. And the 
two landings we did notice were other settle- 
ments, for we asked their names. One man 
said Morehead was below a piece. I’m expect- 
ing to see it soon.” 

‘‘Suppose we don’t till dark?” remarked 
Thad, always on the lookout for trouble. 
“What are you going to do then?” 

“Keep right along, sonny, until we see 
lights, when we can push in and tie up. It’s 
Morehead or bust!” 

“All right, you’re the skipper, I told you, 
Maurice. The cook has ideas of his own, but 
he ain’t going to run counter of an experienced 
navigator like the boss. But I hope we come 
across that station before dark. You know 
the moon don’t rise till about nine now; so 
we can count on several hours of black sail- 
ing.” 

Thad said no more, neither did his comrade 
make any attempt to continue the argument; 
for both of them were still hoping that More- 
head would consent to show up inside of an- 
other hour. 

But for some reason distances seemed un- 
duly lengthened on this particular day, and 
the gloaming swooped down upon them with 
the coveted goal still undiscovered ahead. 


156 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


Maurice was grimly set upon keeping his 
word. 

As a usual thing they discouraged night 
traveling on the great river, because of the 
aggravated perils involved; but this was a case 
that was out of the common. 

Thad went in to look after the wood fire, 
and wrestle with the problem of what to have 
with the baked ’possum, that had been cook- 
ing much of the afternoon. 

There were no sweet potatoes now, since 
the last one had been devoured on the preced- 
ing day; so after mature thought the cook was 
compelled to put on some ‘‘grits,” as they for- 
tunately still had quite a little stock of this 
famous Southern staple, which in the North 
goes by the name of hominy alone. 

He hoped that by the time supper was ready 
they might have reached their haven; either 
that, or the determination of Maurice to keep 
mo\dng have suffered a change. If it were 
otherwise they must eat one at a time, while 
the other attended to the sweep, and kept 
watch and ward. 

He had things pretty well along when a wel- 
come shout from the pilot outside came to his 
ears. 

“What ho?” asked Thad, as he thrust his 
head out of the cabin door. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


157 


‘‘Lights ahead on the shore, and I reckon 
we must be close on that old Morehead,” re- 
turned Maurice. 

“I can hear roustabouts chanting,” said the 
cook, as he bent his ear; “and I bet you that’s 
a steamboat getting wood aboard.” 

“Wouldn’t be surprised. If it is, then that 
place is Morehead. Perhaps this George 
Stormways may be in charge of the woodyard. 
Anyhow I reckon we’re going to learn some- 
thing about him here; and now you see that 
my idea of keeping right along drifting was 
the correct one after all.” 

“I suppose so. I hope the steamer don’t 
take a notion to move off while we’re passing. 
I wouldn’t like to take the responsibility of 
ramming and sinking her, you know, Mau- 
rice.” 

“Get in nearer the shore, and we’ll drop an- 
chor above the landing. If we do that we 
needn’t worry, because you see she’s bound 
to lean away from land when she starts. 
That’s the ticket. Get in the push!” 

Thad had picked up the pole with which 
they were able in shallow water to urge the 
shanty-boat toward the shore; he could reach 
bottom easily, and under his efforts, as well 
as the swing of the current, and the inclina- 
tion of the sweep, the Tramp soon gained an 


158 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


offing in water that was not more than three 
feet in depth. 

The two boys could easily see the exciting 
scene as a line of black ran on board the steam- 
boat, each carrying two or more sticks of 
wood on his head, and keeping rhythmic time 
to the droning chant which every man joined 
in. 

Lanterns and blazing torches made of fat 
pine knots lit up the weird scene; and taking 
it in all, they would not have missed it for 
considerable. 

‘‘There goes the pilot’s bell — they’re off!” 
exclaimed Maurice, as the line ceased pouring 
over the guards of the steamboat; then came 
a loud and hoarse whistle, after which steam 
began to hiss and the stern wheel to churn 
the waters of the mighty Mississippi. 

“Now it’s our turn,” laughed Maurice, pre- 
pared to drop down to the landing, where a 
fire burned and threw a glare around. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


159 


CHAPTER XV. 

THAD GETS A SHOCK. 

The arrival of the little Tramp did not cre- 
ate anything like the commotion which marked 
the landing of the big stern- wheel river steam- 
boat. 

A few darkies idling on the shore drew near, 
filled with curiosity when they discovered that 
only two boys comprised the crew of the fioat- 
ing craft; and Dixie barked strenuously at 
them, as if to let the community know that 
while the shanty-boat failed to possess a 
whistle, it was not without some means of an- 
nouncing its arrival. 

Thad threw a rope ashore to one of these 
blacks, who whipped it about a post, and the 
boat presently lay alongside the landing. 

‘^You go ashore and ask questions.” 

It was Thad who said this, because he knew 
his chum was so much better able to probe 
things than himself. 

‘‘All right,” replied Maurice, readily, “and 
you can look after the boat; though likely 
enough none of these fellows will try to run 
away with it.” 

“Well, I don’t mean to give them half a 


160 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


chance. Just think what would become of us 
if such a thing happened. We’d have to go to 
work on a cotton plantation, sure, to make 
money enough to get further along. I’ve got 
the good old Marlin handy, Maurice, and just 
let any thief try to come aboard, that’s all. 
I’ll pepper his hide for him, and salt it in the 
bargain,” declared Thad, resolutely. 

^^I believe you would, boy,” laughed his com- 
rade, as he stepped from the deck to the shore. 

He had already noted that Morehead did not 
appear to be much of a place. Indeed, beyond 
the piles of cordwood, and a few scattered 
cabins, there did not seem to be anything of a 
settlement. 

‘‘Only excuse it has for being on the map is 
that some steamers find it convenient to stop 
and wood up here. That woodyard is the 
whole thing,” thought Maurice. 

He turned upon the negro who had whipped 
the cable around the post in an obliging way. 

“Where can I find the man who runs the 
woodyard?” he asked. 

“ ’Deed, I reckon he am in hees store dar, 
boss,” came the reply. 

“A store, eh? Where is it situated?” con- 
tinued Maurice, bent on following up the clue. 

“See dat flare up yander — dat am de light 
in de windy. Mars Kim he keep gen’ral ’sort- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


161 


ment ob goods. On’y place to buy grits in ten 
mile,” observed the other, pointing. 

‘^What is his name?” asked the boy, deem- 
ing it only right that he should be fully armed 
with this much information before starting 
in to interview the other. 

‘^Mars Kim, fuh shoM Dat’s wat we allers 
calls him, boss. Reckons, as how yuh haint 
gut sech a ting as some terbaccy ’bout yuh, 
now? I’se done clean out.” 

Maurice shook his head in the negative. 

‘‘I’m sorry, but you see, I don’t smoke,” he 
remarked. 

He would have willingly tossed the moke a 
nickel for his readiness to assist them; but 
truth to tell, even such small coin happened to 
be at a premium with the voyagers just then — 
although they carried a small fortune in yel- 
lowbacks, not for worlds would they think of 
making use of a single bill for their own bene- 
fit — it was a sacred trust in their eyes. 

He strode over to the building where the 
brilliant light in the window announced head- 
quarters. Closer investigation disclosed the 
fact that the glow was caused by an acetylene 
lamp which piece of enterprise doubtless 
caused the storekeeper to assume a high place 
in the estimation of the lazy negroes, and shift- 


162 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


less ‘‘white trash’’ of the neighborhood. 

It was a general country store. 

Maurice had seen many such, though, as this 
one happened to be at a point much further 
south than the others, it doubtless contained 
features that stamped it unique in his eyes. 

But they had no money to spend in gro- 
ceries just then; and it was an entirely dif- 
ferent errand that caused him to venture into 
the establishment. 

Over the door he noticed a sign which he 
was just able to read. 

It at least gave him the name of the pro- 
prietor. 

Store, and Office of Woodyard, Kim, Stall- 
ings, Prop. 

A gawky clerk, undoubtedly of the “crack- 
er” persuasion, was waiting on several dusky 
customers, and vainly endeavoring to keep 
them in a clump, as if he feared to let the 
bunch scatter, lest certain unprotected articles 
vanish with their departure. 

Looking further Maurice discovered that 
over in one quarter there seemed to be a sort 
of enclosure, over which was the significant 
notice “P. O.” 

He could see that some one was behind the 
gaudy brass grillwork ; and believing that this 
was likely to be the proprietor, engaged in en- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


163 


tering upon his books that late delivery of 
cordwood to the steamboat, the boy moved that 
way. 

As he stood there in front of the little open- 
ing the man beyond looked up. He seemed sur- 
prised to see a stranger. 

‘‘Evenin’, sah. What can I do fob you?” 
he asked politely, upon discovering that it was 
a white person. 

“Is this Mr. Stallings?” asked Maurice. 

“Yes, sah, that is my name,” replied the 
other, curiously. 

“I have just come off a shanty-boat that is 
tied up here. I have a chum with me on the 
boat. We want to find a man by the name of 
George Stormways. Can you tell me if he 
happens to live near by?” 

“Huh!” 

The owner of the woodyard and country 
store bent forward still more and took a closer 
look at the speaker. It seemed to Maurice as 
though Mr. Stallings had suddenly become 
more deeply interested in the personality of 
the stranger, though he could not give even a 
guess just why that should be so. 

“George Stormways,” repeated Maurice, 
slowly and deliberately, as though he wanted 
the other to fully understand. 

“Why, yes he gits his mail hyah, sah; least- 


164 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


ways, he allers used tuh come hyah tub trade, 
when he had any money. George worked foh 
me a long spell, till the shakes knocked him 
out,” said the other, finally. 

Maurice had been studying the man. He 
believed he could see honesty in his thin sal- 
low face, but hesitated to say anjrthing about 
the real motive that infiuenced himself and 
chum to stop in order to hunt up George 
Stormways. 

Such a secret had better be confined to as 
few persons as possible. Still, that would not 
prevent him from saying that he had some 
good news for the man he sought. 

‘‘How far away from the Landing does he 
live, Mr. Stallings?” he asked, promptly. 

“Reckons as how it air all o’ fo’ mile, sah. 
An’ in the present disturbed condition o’ the 
country, mebbe, sah, it would be wise foh you 
to defer yuh visit thah to mawnin’,” came the 
reply. 

“I reckon we’ll have to, sir, if we can tie up 
below the landing without getting in the way. 
We want to see George and his wife the worst 
kind, and couldn’t think of going on down the 
river without making a big effort to do so. 
Yes, we’ll spend a day at Morehead, and get 
acquainted. I only wish we were better sup- 
plied with cash, so we might trade with you ; 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


165 


but just now it happens we’re on rock bot- 
tom.” 

The other seemed to be fairly consumed by 
curiosity. Never before had he known such a 
bright lad to be drifting south on a shanty- 
boat. Usually those aboard such craft were 
seasoned river travelers, men who lived on 
the water, ‘‘Mississippi tramps,” as they are 
called, some of whom might be honest, though 
he judged the entire lot by the character of a 
few, and they the worst. 

But here was a bright, wide-awake boy, 
with a face that somehow interested him, 
despite his inborn suspicion. 

“What did yuh say yuh name might be, 
sah?” he asked. 

“I didn’t happen to mention it, but it is 
Maurice Pemberton. We are both natives of 
Kentucky, and on the way to New Orleans to 
meet my uncle, who is captain of a big steamer, 
due there in February.” 

“Would yuh please step around to the side, 
an’ oblige me by coming in hyah. Seems like 
I feel an interest in yuh-all, and if yuh felt 
like tellin’ me the story I’d be obliged.” 

Maurice was only too willing to oblige. At 
the same time he continued to hold to his reso- 
lution to handle the subject of the money with 
due caution. Mr. Stallings was undoubtedly 


166 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


perfectly trustworthy; but the information 
might get afoot, and cause trouble. 

Of course he could not decline to make a 
friend of the storekeeper, who had taken an 
interest in thei voyage of the little Tramp, 
Maurice was only a boy, but he knew that one 
could never have too many friends in this 
world. 

So he followed directions, and was speedily 
seated alongside Kim. Stallings, telling him 
all about how the voyage happened to begin. 

The man became greatly interested as he 
proceeded and read the wonderful letter from 
Uncle Ambrose with kindling eyes. 

^‘Glad yuh stopped in hyah, Maurice; glad 
tub have met up with yuh; and if so be yuh are 
short with cash, I wouldn’t mind trustin’ yuh 
fob some grits and such like. I reckons sho’ 
yuh’d send the money aftah yuh met with this 
uncle. So don’t yuh go tub worryin’ ’bout 
gettin’ on short rations, my boy,” remarked 
Kim. Stallings, after he had talked with the 
other for some little time. 

‘‘That’s awful fine of you to say so, Mr. 
Stalling. Perhaps we’ll take you up, though 
my chum is against running in debt a cent. 
But we have a long trip ahead of us yet, and 
to stop over and go to work to earn money 
enough to buy grub might keep us from get- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


167 


ting down to Orleans in time to meet Uncle 
Ambrose.’’ 

Maurice insisted upon shaking the lean 
hand of the Dixie storekeeper as he said this, 
an operation to which the other did not seem 
in the least averse. 

‘‘But yuh said that yuh wanted to meet up 
with George Stromway the wust kind,” con- 
tinued the man, kindly; “in the mawnin’ I’ll 
start yuh right. P’raps one o’ his kids might 
be ’round tub take yuh through the woods, 
and ’round the swamps, foh it’s ticklish trav- 
elin’ with a stranger, sah.” 

“We have some good news for George,” ad- 
mitted the boy. 

“Well, now, I’m glad tub hyah that same. 
I reckon he needs it right bad around now. 
Nawthin’ ain’t a gwine tub do pore George 
any lastin’ good till he pulls up stakes an’ gits 
outen this low kentry. If he was only on a 
farm up on higher land I reckon the shakes ’d 
give the critter the go-by. But George, he 
cain’t never raise the money he’d have tuh 
put up, tuh rent a farm an’ buy the stock foh 
it.” 

“Would it take very much?” queried Mau- 
rice, trying to appear quite unconcerned, 
though he was really quivering with eager- 
ness. 


168 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


The storekeeper looked at him and smiled, 
as though he could read the boy’s face like a 
printed book. 

‘ ‘ Oh ! not so very much, sah. I done reckons 
as how a couple o’ hundred ’d do the trick; but 
that means a heap o’ money tuh a pore feller 
like George. He done tole me a year back that 
some relative o’ hisn up-Nawth was a thinkin’ 
o’ cornin’ down with some cash, an’ settin’ o’ 
him up on a farm; but it all seemed to blow 
over. He was nigh broke up about it, too, 
sah, I tell yuh.” 

Maurice could not hold in altogether. 

^Ht was his wife’s father, old The. Badgeley. 
My chum knew him well. He didn’t come be- 
cause he died. But he left something for his 
daughter. He called her Bunny, and I don’t 
even know her name,” he said. 

‘^That sounds real good, sah; and I sure am 
glad tuh heah it. I’ve done all I could afford 
foh George; but he don’t seem to hold out. 
Many times he’s kim back to work foh me, an’ 
broke down. It’ll be a godsend foh the pore 
feller, if so be he kin pull out. I’ll see that 
you git a fair start in the mawnin’ sah, I shore 
will.” 

Maurice began to fear that his chum might 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


169 


be growing anxious about Mm, so lie got up to 
leave. 

‘^Nothin’ yub-uns ’d like tub have to- 
night?” inquired Mr. Stallings, as be shook 
bands warmly at parting. 

Maurice smiled and shook bis bead. 

<< There’s lots we need,” be said; ^^but I 
wouldn’t dare think of accepting your kind 
offer without consulting Tbad. He’s queer 
about running up debts. But in the morning 
we’ll both see you again.” 

So be said good night, and went out, reso- 
lutely shutting Ms eyes to the abundance of 
good things to eat that greeted him on every 
side. 

Thad was eagerly waiting for him, and the 
other could see that he was brimming over 
with excitement. 

^^Say, if it wasn’t for wanting to meet up 
with George so bad I’d be for dropping down 
river five miles, and giving this beastly old 
place the go-by,” he said, as Maurice came 
aboard. 

‘^Why, what on earth is the matter?” asked 
the other, dismayed. 

^‘Then you didn’t hear anything about it, 
eh? I reckon it’s such a common occurrence 
around this part of the country they don’t 


170 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


think anything about it,” continued Thad, se- 
riously. 

‘‘Why, whatever in the wide world are you 
talking about, son?” demanded Maurice, 
greatly puzzled to account for this new evi- 
dence of timidity on the part of his friend, 
who, as a usual thing, had always seemed bold 
enough. 

“I don’t like it so close, that’s all. I bet 
you I dream of the thing tonight, and every 
time I look up it seems like my eyes always 
went straight there.” 

He pointed up the bank. 

Maurice followed his- extended forefinger 
to a point just a little further along, where 
some trees stood. 

He could see some object that seemed to 
move to and fro like the exhausted pendulum 
of a clock. 

Apparently it was suspended from a limb, 
and as Maurice caught the true significance of 
what his chum meant, he felt a cold chill pass 
through his frame. 

“Say, do you mean to tell me that is a man 
hanging there?” he asked; and if his voice 
took on a sudden hoarseness, it was not to be 
wondered at under the circumstances. 

“I just reckon it must be,” returned Thad, 
pleased to note that his comrade seemed just 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


171 


as filled with horror as he himself had been. 

‘‘But do you know it is — did any of those 
coons tell you so?” persisted the other. 

“N-no, because, you see, Maurice, I never 
noticed it when they were around. The moon 
managed to climb up while you were gone; 
and then I just happened to see it. Ugh! I’ve 
done mighty little else but stare at it ever 
since.” 

“But perhaps you may be mistaken, Thad.” 

“Sure; but don’t forget that we’re away 
down in Dixie, now ; where they hang a darky 
without bothering trying him, if so be he’s 
shot a white man. And don’t it look like it — 
tell me that, Maurice?” went on the late guar- 
dian of the shanty boat. 

“Oh! I admit that it does, all right. But 
if you think I’m going to let the whole night 
go by without investigating this thing, you’re 
away off.” 

Maurice turned resolutely around as he 
spoke. 

“Where are you going?” demanded his 
chum, nervously. 

“Ashore again to see. If that is a man, I 
rather think Mr. Stalling would have said 
something to me about it ; though now that I 
think of it he did hint that it wasn’t altogether 
safe for a stranger to go wandering off into 


172 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


the woods and swamps right now. Perhaps 
it’s just as you say, and this is some black 
thief they caught. But I hope you’re mis- 
taken, Thad.” 

‘‘I do, too, because you see I want some sleep 
tonight. But hold on. ’ ’ 

^‘What’s the matter now?” asked the other, 
as Thad caught his arm. 

‘‘I’m going with you, that’s all,” and ac- 
cordingly he stepped ashore, carrying the gun 
along with him. 

They approached the suspicious object with 
more or less display of valor; though doubt- 
less the hearts of both lads beat like trip-ham- 
mers from the unwonted excitement. 

The moon, which had been partly hidden by 
some fleecy, low-lying clouds, now took a sud- 
den notion to sail into a clear patch of blue 
sky; and in consequence objects could be much 
more readily seen. 

Both lads strained their eyes to discover 
how much truth there might be in the grim 
suspicions of Thad. 

Not until they were close up to the strangely 
swa5dng object could they fully decide as to 
its character. 

Then ThadJ gave a grunt, while Maurice 
laughed. 

“That’s the way with most ghosts, Thad; 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


173 


when yon get close up they just turn out to 
be something awfully common and you feel 
sick to think what you imagined,” remarked 
Maurice, as he put up his hand and took hold 
of the swinging object. 

‘‘Say, who’d imagine now that they’d hang 
up an old bundle of wraps off goods, like 
this?” said Thad, in disgust. 

“But you can sleep all right now,” re- 
marked his friend, not a little relieved himself 
to find that they were not up against one of 
those grim tragedies that have been so com- 
mon through the coimtry of the lower Mis- 
sissippi. 

“That’s right. Let’s get back home. I 
want to hear what you picked up about 
George,” declared Thad, a little confused. 

And accordingly they once more went 
aboard the boat, seeking the comfortable in- 
terior of the cabin, where Maurice could spin 
his yarn, and a council of war be called to 
decide on many matters. 


174 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER XVI. 

THE TEOUBLE THAT WAS MET ON THE EOAD. 

The night seemed unusually long to Thad. 

They had locked the door of the cabin, and 
by this time he had come to the positive con- 
clusion that no human being could ever climb 
in through the little window, as long as that 
stout iron bar remained across its center. 

Nevertheless, half a dozen times Thad 
awoke, and on each and every occasion he 
seemed to deem it a solumn duty to get out 
of his bunk, pass over to the window, which 
was, of course, open for ventilation, and ob- 
serve the whole of the shore that could be 
seen. 

But the bright moonlight bathed the bank 
in its radiance, the soft night wind murmured 
among the trees, and possibly certain sounds, 
such as the hooting of owls, or the barking of 
some honest watchdog, disturbed the silence 
of the night, yet there was no cause for alarm. 

Morning came at last. 

It had been decided that they might accept 
the kind offer of the storekeeper to a limited 
extent. They would be foolish to allow a scru- 
ple to stand in the way. Besides, even as it 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


175 


was, they stood to run up against trouble be- 
low, from a shortage of provisions. 

So Maurice went ashore, and, seeking the 
store, was cordially greeted by the proprietor. 

‘‘Made up yuh mind tuh trade with me, 
sah?’’ asked Mr. Stallings, as he thrust out 
his lean brown hand in greeting. 

“We have up to five dollars. My chum re- 
fuses to get any deeper in debt. And if you 
have no objections we’ll carry off a slab of 
breakfast bacon and some grits right now,” 
returned Maurice. 

“Right glad you settled it that way. I’d 
ben sorry tuh see yuh go on without some 
provisions, sah. Pick out just what yuh want, 
an’ I’ll make a note o’ it. But if so be ten 
dollars ’d seem better tuh yuh, don’t hang 
back,” went on the generous Southerner. 

“I wouldn’t dare go one cent beyond the 
five, or Thad would be after my scalp. And 
he’ll want to see the bill, too, depend on that.” 

Maurice quickly returned to the boat, bear- 
ing the bacon and grits ; for without the same 
their breakfast would have been slim, indeed. 

Afterward they locked the cabin, and both 
ventured over to the general store; for Thad 
was determined that since the precious packet 
had to be delivered to George that morning, ne 
was not going to let his chum have all the 


176 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


pleasure of bringing joy into the life of the 
poor family. 

‘‘Besides,’’ he added, when making his plea, 
“who knows what trouble you might meet up 
with on the road? If the storekeeper hinted 
that it wasn’t right safe for strangers to be 
wandering around, perhaps you might be held 
up by some thieves. Two would be better 
than one if that happened, you know.” 

Maurice was well satisfied that it should be 
so; though he had not brought the subject for- 
ward, he hardly fancied the idea of taking that 
four mile jaunt and back, alone. 

Besides, the possession of so much money 
was apt to arouse fears that might never have 
occurred to him otherwise. 

So he had readily assented to the proposi- 
tion of his chum. 

Mr. Stallings was pleased to meet the sec- 
ond lad ; and Thad quite took to the Southern 
storekeeper and woodyard proprietor at sight. 

They remained long enough to get full di- 
rections concerning the road that would bring 
them to the desolate little home of George. 

“I’d advise yah. tuh keep an eye out along 
the swamp, boys. They’s a few bad coons 
somewhar in that thar place. The sheriff he 
’lows tuh git ’em right soon, an’ any day we- 
uns hyah ’spect tuh see ’im drift in wid some 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


177 , 


prisoners. I heard as how he had collected 
his posse three days back. Keep that gun 
right handy, son; an’ if so be yuh have tuh 
shoot, make her tell!” 

All of which might be interesting news ; but 
it was hardly calculated to quiet the nerves 
of the two boys. 

However, they were not the kind to give 
up any cherished object simply because it in- 
volved peril. 

‘ ^ Thank you, Mr. Stallings. You said you ’d 
keep an eye on our boat while we were gone, 
didn’t you ? It isn’t much of a beauty, but you 
see it’s all we’ve got ; and we calculate that it’ll 
just have to carry both of us to Orleans,” re- 
marked Maurice, as they started away. 

Don’t yuh think of any harm acomin’ tuh 
the boat, sah. I’ll give yuh my word they 
wont. And if so be yuh choose tuh stay over 
night. I’ll use the key yuh left with me, an’ 
put a man inside tuh keep guard, a man who 
would as soon shoot a thief as eat his bacon.” 

So the two chums started off. 

The morning was delightfully fresh, with 
the sun shining overhead, and just a tank of 
frost in the air, enough to make them tramp 
along with a spring to their steps. 

But before they had gone beyond the last 


178 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


cabin Tbad gave utterance to an ejaculation 
of dismay. 

‘‘What’s the matter now ; forgot something ? 
Hope the Marlin is loaded, and you picked up 
a few more shells for your pocket?” said his 
comrade, as they both stopped short. 

“Oh, sure, I saw to all that. It’s a different 
matter,” mumbled Thad, who seemed to be 
staring hard at something to one side. 

Turning, Maurice discovered a tumble-down 
shack, around which several dirty white chil- 
dren were playing. 

“What is it?” he asked; “didn’t think you 
saw a ghost, again, eh?” 

Thad shook his head. 

“Nope. This was a live ghost, I reckon. 
And he had a fiery red-top in the bargain,” he 
said positively. 

Immediately Maurice understood what ailed 
him. 

“A man with a red head of hair; and you 
think it might be the same fellow that tried to 
rob us yesterday up-river? Is that it?” 

“Sure it is,” replied Thad. 

“But you know there are lots of men with 
red hair?” protested his comrade. 

“Yes, but not with that nasty laugh. You 
heard it when he paddled away, thinkin’ he 
had the stuff ; and I heard him give the same 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


179 


kind of laugh just when he dodged into that 
shack.’’ 

‘‘He did, eh? Funny I didn’t happen to 
hear it. What made him laugh this time, d’ye 
suppose, Thad?” 

“Ask me something easy, will you? P’raps 
he was tickled to see old friends again. Then, 
again, mebbe the notion struck him that after 
all the fish that got away the other time was 
cornin’ straight into his net. All I know is he 
laughed; and that it’s the same critter!” 

When Thad was positive it took mountains 
to change his opinion. 

But then Maurice did not see that there was 
anything improbable in the idea, since the 
thief who had visited them had rowed down 
river, and just as likely as not had his home 
at Morehead. 

“Well, come along, pard. Even if it is our 
old acquaintance, he’d better think twice be-^ 
fore trying to hold us up,” he remarked, giv-’ 
ing a pull at the other’s sleeve. 

“But he knows what we’ve got along. He 
may tell some others just as tough as himself ; 
and how could we hold up our end if half a 
dozen tackled us?” grumbled Thad, as he 
stalked along at the side of his chum. 

“Shall we go back, then?” asked the other. 

“Nixy. I don’t care if there’s a dozen com- 


180 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


ing, we’re going to get to George all right. 
You hear me, Maurice.” 

‘‘That’s the right way to speak. But, after 
all, perhaps we won’t have the least bit of 
trouble. Didn’t you hear Mr. Stallings say 
the sheriff was abroad with a posse, looking 
for rascals. Strikes me that this wouldn’t 
be a good time for our friend to try any of his 
tricks. They use a rope down here for a rem- 
edy. Jails are played out. There’s no need 
of bothering any, Thad.” 

So they walked briskly along the road, 
which was, after all, not much of a thorough- 
fare, and required close watching lest they 
stray away and lose themselves. 

But the storekeeper had given plain direc- 
tions, so that with proper diligence they should 
not have any trouble about keeping along the 
right path. 

Although Thad had appeared to agree with 
his chum that there was no need for worry, it 
might be noticed that he let Maurice do most 
of the looking for the right signs that were to 
safeguard their course. On his part he felt 
that necessity demanded that he twist his head 
just one in so often and scan the rear. 

Maurice knew what he was doing, but made 
no complaint. Indeed, in secret, he was almost 
as anxious as Thad, even though he had not 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


181 


seen the man with the red head with his own 
eyes ; and had tried to laugh at the idea of his 
being the same scoundrel who had tried to 
rob the shanty-boat further up the river. 

After they had placed Morehead Landing 
some distance in the rear they found them- 
selves in a very lonely place, indeed. 

Evidently they must be approaching the 
swamp spoken of by the friendly storekeepei. 
Here and there they could see trailing stream- 
ers of Spanish moss clinging to the branches 
of the trees; and the further they went the 
more desolate their surroundings became. 

‘‘Say, ain’t it enough to give a feller the 
shivers?” observed Thad, when an owl began 
to hoot in a mournful way back from the road. 

“I must say it doesn’t seem to be particu- 
larly cheerful around this region. But we 
must be more’n half way there; and nothing’s 
happened yet,” returned Maurice, stoutly. 

“There, what was that?” asked his chum, 
coming to a sudden stop. 

“Where?” demanded Maurice, who had 
taken his turn at carrying the gun ; and as he 
spoke bringing it half way up to his shoulder, 
while his thumb played with one of the ham- 
mers. 

“I saw something moving ahead; sure I 


182 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


did!” declared Thad, shaking that obstinate 
head of his the whole. 

‘‘Perhaps so, but that’s not saying it was a 
man! Did it have red hair, do you know, 
Thad?” 

“There you go, Maurice, always making fun 
of me. I didn’t see any head, so I can’t say; 
but it looked like a man creeping off.” 

“Eight where, son?” 

“Do you see that clump of bushes, the ones 
with the bully red leaves? Well, it was close 
to them. It moved just when I happened to 
look that way. I give you my word, Maurice. ’ ’ 

“All right. We’ll find out quick enough, 
I reckon,” remarked the other, with that deci- 
sive ring in his voice which Thad knew so 
well. 

“Now what are you goin’ to do, pard? Don’t 
be too rash. Remember what Mr. Stallings, 
said,” and Thad laid a restraining hand on 
his chum’s arm. 

But Maurice was not to be daunted. 

“Pall in behind me, then. I’m going up to 
the bushes and see for myself what it was. 
Ten to one it must have been a muskrat out 
of the swamp; or perhaps a fox, prowling 
around for his grub.” 

He cocked both barrels of the Marlin, and 
the act must have instilled new courage in the 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


183 


heart of Thad, for he immediately removed his 
detaining hand. 

‘‘All right, then; go ahead. If he jumps 
for you, poke the old gun in his face.” 

He stooped down and secured possession of 
a stout cudgel himself, as though he felt in- 
clined to back up his comrade after a fashion. 

In this manner they slowly approached the 
clump of bushes, where the frost had turned 
the leaves to rusty red color. 

Maurice was on the alert for any sign of 
trouble. He even passed partly around the 
clump, without discovering anything to indi- 
cate the presence of an enemy. 

When he had made sure that the bushes 
did not conceal a lurking figure, he turned to 
Thad with a grin. 

“Went off in smoke, I reckon. A fellow 
who can see a hanging coon in a bundle of bur- 
lap strung up to a tree might imagine any- 
thing, it seems to me,” he said a little sarcas- 
tically. 

Thad looked somewhat sheepish. 

He allowed his head to droop, and shrugged 
his shoulders. 

“I did see something move, I tell you. It 
seemed to skip back out of sight, like it didn’t 
want me to get my peepers on it,” he said, 
with a conviction that would not be denied. 


184 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


All right. I hear you; but please show me 
the animal or human being. I’m willing to be 
convinced, Thad.” 

The other started to smile. 

‘‘I reckon I can’t show you the thing that 
was here, Maurice, but I might do the next best 
thing,” he said, eagerly. 

What’s that — ^point out it’s shadow?” 
jeered the other, still skeptical. 

‘‘A smoke ghost don’t leave any marks be- 
hind, does it?” 

^‘Well, I don’t know. I wouldn’t like to 
say, since I never ran up against one. But 
why do you make that remark, brother?” 

“Looky there!” 

Thad dramatically pointed down at his feet 
as he spoke, and Maurice, turning his gaze in 
that quarter, instantly saw something that 
caused him to draw in a quick breath and in- 
voluntarily clutch the gun with a gesture of 
alarm. 

There were plain marks on the ground, and 
even as inexperienced woodsmen as the two 
boys could easily see that these had undoubt- 
edly been made by the big feet of a shuffling 
man! 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


185 


CHAPTER XVII. 

AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. 

‘‘He was here, all right!” said Thad, in an 
awed tone, as he looked all around him. 

Maurice took several steps forward, as if 
mechanically starting to follow the plain im- 
prints of those big shoes. 

“Hold on, there, pard; you wouldn’t want 
to chase after that critter, now, would you*? 
We haven’t lost anybody, that I know about. 
The best thing for us is to keep right along 
the road, and mind our own business. Ain’t I 
right*?” demanded Thad. 

“I reckon you are, son; and don’t think I 
was so silly as to try and follow that creeper. 
I’m not anxious to see him. Come on, the 
quicker we get moving the better.” 

With that Maurice turned on his heel and 
started off. 

“I don’t want him to get the notion in his 
head we’re scared about it,” he muttered; 
“but all the same I think we’d better shinny 
on our own side, and move along.” 

“Keep that gun ready for business, Mau- 
rice,” admonished the other, who flomdshed 
his stick in a belligerent way while bringing 
up the rear. 


186 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


‘‘Don’t you fear about that, my friend. If 
anybody jumps out at us I’m ready to give 
him a warm reception!” 

Maurice spoke aloud. It was his hope that 
if the man might be lingering near he would 
overhear the words, and take warning accord- 
ingly. 

They hurried along the dimly defined road. 
It must have been quite some time since ve- 
hicles used this, for the marks of wheels were 
in many places utterly obliterated by the rains 
of summer and fall. 

Three times they really got off the trail; 
but fortunately their united vigilance told 
them of the fact before it was too late to 
remedy it easily. 

“Must be getting near George’s place,” 
grunted Thad, at last, for he was almost out 
of breath, what with their haste, and the ne- 
cessity for keeping that head of his at all 
angles, so as to forestall any treachery on the 
part of the enemy, whom he felt sure must be 
dodging their trail all this time, waiting for a 
chance to get in a telling blow. 

“I’m afraid not. Seems to me Mr. Stallings 
said it was nearly a mile past the swamp; and 
you see we’ve just got to the worst of that.” 

“All right, then; keep hoofing it, pard. 
We’ve just made up our minds that we’re 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


187 


going to see George at home, and nothing ain’t 
going to stop ns. Get that?” declared Thad. 

Just what I say. Come on again, if you’ve 
caught your wind.” 

Again they pushed on. 

Their surroundings seemed even more 
dreadful than ever; and Maurice realized for 
the first time what a fearful place a swamp 
may seem, especially when danger is hovering 
about, and a hostile figure may spring out 
from behind any tree. 

Even the sudden harsh cawing of a crow 
that sprang up from the ground and lodged 
on a branch startled Thad; and when a rabbit 
bounded away through the brush alongside 
the road, Maurice involuntarily threw his 
Marlin half way up to his shoulder as though 
inclined to press the triggers. 

hope we left him behind,” said Thad, 
presently, when, for the fiftieth time, he 
turned his head to look. 

‘‘But I don’t believe we did,” replied the 
other instantly. “See here, you found that 
other footprint ; what d’ye think of this ?” 

“He’s been here ahead of us, as sure as you 
live. Oh, look! That little twig jumped up 
into place right before my very eyes. Don’t 
you see what that means, Maurice ? He passed 
along here only a minute or so ahead of us. 


188 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


That twig didn’t have time enough to get back 
to its position up to now. Phew! Perhaps 
he’s laying for us further on.” 

‘‘Well, what if he is? Do we go on?” 

“Well, I guess yes. Let me carry the shoot- 
er now!” said Thad, as he reached out his 
eager if trembling hand. 

“Oh, no! What’s the use changing? I’m 
as fresh as a daisy; and besides, that stick just 
fits your hand. I’ll give him a scare if he 
tries to jump at us, never fear.” 

“Just as you say, Maurice ; only please don’t 
get excited and fill me up with birdshot, in- 
stead of the thief.” 

“No danger, if you keep where you belong, 
in the rear. There’s some pretty suspicious 
looking trees ahead there, on both sides of the 
road. We want to watch close now, Thad. 
Once we get by here, I’ve a hunch the going 
may be better.” 

“Yes,” said Thad, whirling his shillalah 
around in a lively way, as a token of what he 
meant to do in case of an emergency. 

By the time they reached the spot where the 
trees joined branches across the dimly defined 
road both boys were in somewhat of a feverish 
state of apprehension. They looked at each 
hoary old trunk as if they believed every tree 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


189 


might conceal a crouching enemy, ready to 
leap out and attack them. 

Yet, strange to say, neither of them once 
thought of craning their necks in order to 
survey what lay above. 

Perhaps, had Thad done so, he might have 
received more or less of a shock just about 
that time. 

‘‘Hark!” exclaimed Maurice, pulling up. 

“That was a shout, wasn’t it?” demanded 
his chum, his eyes seeking those of the other 
instantly. 

“I’m dead sure it was, and not an owl,” re- 
plied Maurice. 

“And it came from ahead there; didn’t you 
think so?” 

“It certainly did. Listen, there’s more of 
the same kind. Now what d’ye make of all 
that?” muttered Maurice. 

“Somebody’s coming this way, for I can 
hear the sound of running. Say, perhaps it’s 
the coons he told us about, the outlaws that 
live in the swamp! Mebbe the sheriff’s posse 
has stirred ’em up like a hornet’s nest, and 
they’re on the jump!” 

Maurice looked annoyed. 

“If that’s the case we ought to be hiding 
ourselves,” he declared. 

“Yes, but just remember, boy, that there’s 


190 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


another thing bothering us just now. What 
if we ran plump into the arms of that red-top 
who’s laying for us?” 

“Well, then, let’s drop down here behind 
a couple of these trees. Perhaps they’ll go 
past and never get a peep of us,” suggested 
the one who carried the double-barrel gun. 

“No use,” chirped Thad, immediately. 

“And why not ?” asked Maurice. 

“They saw us ; they know we’re here ; that’s 
why.” 

“How do you know that?” 

“I just saw a feller bob up along the road 
there. He swung his arms over his head as 
he dropped down into another hollow. Amd 
look, ain’t that some more of the bunch, top- 
ping the rise ? I tell you, it’s all off, Maurice ; 
they’ve got us caged. Why, we can’t run 
away, and all that’s left is to stay here, grin 
and bear it.” 

Thad sat down as though he believed it ab- 
solutely useless to take the least step toward 
seeking safety in flight, but, indeed, both of 
them were already partly winded with their 
efforts, so that anything in the line of running 
might be deemed mere madness. 

“Hide the packet then, quick! Stick it un- 
der that root there, while no one is looking. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


191 


Perhaps we can fool them yet!” hissed Mau- 
rice, as a brilliant idea flashed through his 
brain. 

‘‘Bully for you, my boy! That’s the ticket.” 

While he was speaking Thad drew the small 
package from his inside pocket, where he had 
been carefully keeping it since leaving the 
boat, and with one quick nervous movement 
thrust the same out of sight under the con- 
venient root. 

No sign remained of his action, and he was 
fain to believe that no hiunan eyes save his 
own and those of Maurice could have wit- 
nessed the act. 

But it was not so. 

“Say, they’re coming on the jump!” ex- 
claimed Maurice, who had remained on his 
feet while the other squatted, the better to 
carry out the process of secreting the precious 
packet. 

“How many?” asked Thad, between quick 
breaths, induced by the tremendous excite- 
ment of the occasion. 

“Don’t know, but a whole lot of ’em. And 
every mother’s son seems to be armed with 
some sort of gun. A flne chance we’d have 
against such a husky bunch, if we showed signs 
of flght. Yet it does go hard against the grain 
to give up without striking a blow.” 


192 


THE EOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


Manrk^ gnashed his teeth and fPD'wned 
while speaMiig. fingering the lo^ of his Mar- 
lin nerronslT. 

By this time Thad had risen to his knees, 
an overwhelniing sense of canoatr urging 

him on 

*‘Why, Manriee;. that's fanny r’ he ex- 
daimecL immediatdy 

don’t see it; what’s stm^ yoa now, 
Thad?” 

‘‘^Why, don’t yoa rememba' mhat Mr. Stal- 
lings told iKf” 

^^Sore I do — that these swamp rats were 
aboat as o^y a crowd to ha7vTk> ss he had ever 
heard tell of; and I go^ he was right: for 
if I ever saw a toa^ lot of fellow citizens 
they’re ocamng down <m as ri^it now, fire, sjl 
of ’em. tJ^!” growled Maariee. 

think yoaTl live to take that hack, old 
fellow,” ebn^led Thad, who seemed to be far 
alarmed than he had been a brief time 
previously, thoo^ stai esdted. 

“What ails yoa?” a^ed the other, quero- 
lonsly. 

^^Liook for yoorself. Are those d^isips white 
menoreoKHffi?” 

“Why, I reckon they all seem to be wMte; 
BO far as lean see — oh! I declare, I remember 

99 


DOW- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


193 


‘‘The storekeeper told us those bad men 
were niggers!” 

“Right; that’s what he said. Still, these 
may be another lot, connected with your friend 
with the sorrel-top!” declared Maurice, who 
died hard. 

“Rats! You know now just as well as I do 
that yonder is the sheriff and his posse ! Per- 
haps they think we’re some of the riffraff 
they’ve been chasing, and that’s why they keep 
aiming their blamed old guns at us that way. 
Hadn’t we better hold up our arms, Maurice, 
and give ’em to understand that we surrender ? 
Some fool might think it fine to take a snap- 
shot at us and explain afterwards he thought 
we meant to fight!” 

“That’s right, Thad; a clever idea. So up 
you go, my boy.” 

Maurice, as he spoke, allowed the gun to fall 
at his feet, and elevated both hands as high as 
he could get them. Thad hastened to follow 
suit, and it might be he unconsciously cast his 
eyes upward at the same instant, as though 
eager to see just how his chum held his. 

A sudden spasm seemed to shoot through 
the frame of Thad, and his companion heard 
hiTin give utterance to an exclamation; but 
being so intensely interested in the coming of 


194 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


the runners, who were now very close, he made 
no comment, nor did he ask questions. 

The men quickly closed in around them. 

Maurice realized that what his chum had 
guessed must surely be the truth. He even 
decided which of the six was the sheriff; for 
the storekeeper at Morehead Landing had de- 
scribed this individual to him, so that he might 
know him if they ever met. 

Hello, Mr. Jerrold! Glad to meet up with 
you, sir. Mr. Stallings told us you were out 
after some game. But he said it was black 
meat you wanted, not white,” sang out Mau- 
rice, cheerily ; and when he chose to make him- 
self agreeable the young Kentuckian could win 
over nearly any man. 

Seems like yuh know me, youngster. Who- 
all be yuh, anyhow, and what yuh doin’ this - 
aways. I ’d like tuh know right well ? ’ ’ 

But the sheriff had at the same time made 
a motion to his men, and all show of weapons 
vanished. He knew that there was no need of 
\dolence in this case. 

Maurice quickly told him who they were, 
and that, desiring to see George Stormway, 
bearing good news from the North, they had 
been directed along the road by the friendly 
storekeeper. 

‘'Don’t s’pose now, boys, yuh seen anything 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


195 


o’ a pair o’ black sheep? We done skeered 
’em up outen the swamp, an’ when our dawgs 
gits heah we s’pect tub track ’em down once 
foh all,” observed the sheriff, now apparently 
ready to shake hands with the two voyagers. 

‘‘No; we haven’t met a single person, black 
or white, on the trail; but we have reason to 
believe that there’s a man hiding around here 
who wanted to waylay us and rob us.” 

Thereupon, as the sheriff asked the reason 
he had for believing such a thing, Maurice 
started in to explain. He told of finding some- 
thing of value on the boat that belonged to 
George Stormway ’s wife. Bunny Badgeley 
that was — ^how the man with the red-top had 
tried to steal the packet and was baffled by 
reason of Thad’s cunning trick; how his chum 
had seen him just outside the hamlet of More- 
head Landing, the tracks on the road, and 
finally the figure seen by the clump of bushes. 

“Yes,” broke in Thad just then, and his 
chmn saw that an expansive grin covered his 
face as he spoke, “and if the gentlemen will 
only take a squint up over their heads they 
will see the party in question squattin’ on that 
limb right above us, where he hid himself, I 
reckon, thinkin’ to just drop down on which- 
ever held the gun!” 

Then there was an immediate craning of 


196 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


necks; and loud laughs from the members of 
the Mississippi sheriff’s posse attested to the 
fact that they had discovered what strange 
fruit that live oak bore. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


197 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE GEEAT GOOD NEWS. 

‘‘It’s a big fat ’possom!” shouted one of the 
posse, swinging his gun upward, as though get- 
ting ready to shoot. 

“You’re away off, Dexter; look closer and 
you can see the ringed tail of a ’coon!” jeered 
a second. 

“If we had the dawgs hyah we’d have a 
heap o’ sport, gents; but as it is, I reckon as 
how we’ll jest have tuh fill him full o’ lead, an’ 
let her go at that!” exclaimed a third member 
of the party. 

These various remarks, while evidently 
spoken in a spirit of levity, aroused strenuous 
opposition above. There was an immediate 
movement of the object straddling the limb. 
Then two arms waved vigorously, and a high- 
pitched voice sounded : 

“Hold on, thar, yo-uns! I ain’t a ’coon, but 
I’m acomin’ down right smart, all the samee. 
Don’t let loose on me, boys; I ain’t wuth the 
powder. I jest wants some un tuh kick me 
for bein’ sech a fool as tuh think you-uns was 
thet bunch o’ swamp-hiders!” 

The speaker slid along the limb to the body 


198 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


of the tree and began to make his way toward 
the ground. 

Maurice looked at Thad, and there was per- 
plexity in his eyes. He understood the sly tac- 
tics of the red-headed man, and wondered 
whether they would succeed in hoodwinking 
the sheriff and his posse. 

The question was soon answered, for hardly 
had the cracker reached the ground than Sher- 
iff Jerrold stepped up to him, that piercing 
eye fastened on the ugly face of the climber. 

‘‘Yer under arrest, Jeff Corbley!” he said, 
making a motion to one of the others to bind 
the fellow. 

‘‘Me? What fur, sheriff? I declar I jest 
dim’ thet tree ’cause I was skeered. I hed a 
squint o’ yer crowd acomin’ over the rise, an’ 
I spected ’twar them coons hustling out fur 
grub. They got it in fur me, an’ I jest het 
up ther tree quicker nor lightnin’.” 

But the sheriff was not so easily deceived. 

“What’s this yer grippin’ in yer hand, 
Jeff ? A rock big enough to knock a man silly. 
Thought tuh drap in down on the head o’ this 
hyah youngster, didn’t yuh? Easy way tuh 
git the upper hand o’ him, yuh spected. 
Shucks ! Don’t yuh open that mouth o ’ yourn 
tuh say another word. We been watchin’ yuh 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


199 


a long time, Jeff, an’ this time yuh make tracks 
outen the county, or pay the freight!'' 

The sheriff’ made a suggestive motion with 
his hand in the direction of his neck. Evident- 
ly the red-headed man understood. 

“Oh, I’ll go, all right, sheriff. I kinder hed 
a sneakin’ notion fur a long time thet yuh hed 
it in fur me. How long do I git?” he whined, 
as his hands were bound fast behind his back. 

“We’ll give yuh jest twelve hours arter we 
git tuh Morehead. Ef so be yuh ain’t outen 
the county by then it’s touch an’ go with yuh. 
A hundred dollars tuh the man as draps yuh,” 
remarked the official, with a dreadful calm- 
ness. 

“Twelve hours is a might short time tuh do 
it hin, sheriff ; but I’ll make the try, sho. I’m 
sick o’ this place, anyway.” 

“And the place are sure sick o’ you, Jeff ; so 
it’s even all ’round,” replied the sheriff, turn- 
ing his back on J eff . 

The two boys had listened to these little 
pleasantries with mingled feelings. It was 
really the first time they had ever been so close 
to a possible tragedy, and when they found 
that these grim men did not mean to hang the 
wretched Jeff both breathed easier. 

He had been something of a thorn in their 
flesh and doubtless was an evil bird whichever 


200 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


way he might be looked at; still, they had no 
desire to see him meet such a terrible end. 

heard the dawgs along over there, Kur- 
nel,” remarked one of the posse, just about 
this time. 

The sheriff brightened up immediately. He 
had evidently set his mind on the job of clean- 
ing up the band of black thieves who had for 
so long a time sheltered themselves in the 
swamp, and preyed upon the neighboring 
planters ; and the coming of the dogs promised 
to add to the chances of ultimate success. 

‘^Then we must be hiking, boys. Glad tuh 
have met you both, an’ wish yuh all success. 
If so be as yuh say, theys some good news foh 
George, jest congratulate him foh me, will 
yuh? He’s a good feller, George is, an’ has 
heaps o’ friends hyahabouts.” 

He shook hands gravely with each of the 
boys, after which Sheriff Jerrold started along 
the dimly defined road. The prisoner, Jeff, 
was in the middle of the squad, and did not 
manifest any great enthusiasm about hasten- 
ing away ; but being a victim of circumstances 
he just had to run when his captors chose. 

Maurice looked at his chum and laughed. 

‘‘Say, wasn’t that the funniest thing ever?” 
he exclaimed. “Just to think of that scamp 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


201 


settling himself up there among the leaves of 
that tree, intending to jump us unawares 
^^Yes,” observed Thad, with a shrug of his 
shoulders, ‘‘and he meant to drop that big dor- 
nick on your head, because you had the gun. 
Then, while I was stunned with surprise, I 
reckon he expected to let go and jump me. 
I’m not a bit sorry that Jeff is going to get 
his medicine. If ever a man’s face told his 
character his does. And ten to one he’s a big 
bully, and a wife beater, at home.” 

“But how did you happen to get on to his 
trick, for it was you who first discovered him 
sitting there, and told the rest?” 

“Well,” said Thad, refiectively. It just 
happened, that’s all. When you said how we 

ought to hold up our hands ” 

“Hold on ; it was you spoke about that same 
thing first,” corrected his chum. 

“Well, you were the first to do it, and when 
I followed suit, seemed as if my eyes followed 
my hands up like I wanted to see that I did it 
the same as you. That was the luckiest thing 
ever, for you see I just happened to spy him 
move his leg. Looked like he was kind of 
afraid that he might be seen, and was hitchin’ 
along to get behind more leaves.” 

“But you didn’t say anything right away, 
Thad?” 


202 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


Just couldn’t, that’s why ; I was so knocked 
slabwise and full of laugh. But I knew I 
ought to let that sheriff into the secret, ’cause 
he was so mighty anxious to grab some feller. 
So I opened up. My! But didn’t Jeff come 
down quick?” and now Thad chuckled over 
the recollection of that hurried descent. 

‘‘He just had to; because, you see, he was 
afraid all the time one of the boys might take 
a notion to shoot. But as the thing is all over, 
suppose we shove along,” suggested Maurice. 

“Good. My mind is easy now, with that 
sneaker out of the way. What d’ye suppose 
Jeff meant to do?” asked the other, as he fell 
in at the side of his chum when Maurice start- 
ed off. 

“Rob us, that’s clear. He saw that money, 
all right, when he peeked in at the window of 
the shanty-boat, and was wild to get it. Then, 
after his bully little rush when we were ashore, 
to find that he had been fooled made him mad- 
der than a wet hen ; and this time he wanted 
to make sure.” 

Thad drew a long sigh, but made no answer. 
His thoughts were doubtless serious enough, as 
he recollected that heavy stone which Jeff had 
not dared drop while descending from the 
tree; also the ugly look of the desperado’s 
face. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


203 


Just as Maurice had predicted, the country 
began to assume a more cheerful appearance 
after they had left the swamp behind. 

It was not long before they came to a cabin, 
where the smoke was rising above the low roof 
and several dirty-faced children played before 
the door, where several lean hogs were grunt- 
ing in the mud. 

‘‘Is this George’s place?” queried Thad, in 
some dismay; for somehow he had been men- 
tally picturing a far different scene. 

“I reckon not. I was told that his wife was 
a superior woman, who once on a time used to 
teach school. She wouldn’t be apt to let her 
youngsters look like this, even if money was 
scarce. Wait up, and I’ll put the question.” 

Maurice approached the door. A yellow dog 
began to bark furiously, the three children ran 
like frightened sheep, since they seldom saw 
strangers there, and immediately a slatternly 
looking woman with the customary thin face 
of the “poor white trash” of the South made 
her appearance at the door. 

“There’s a snuff-dipper for you,” said 
Maurice in a whisper to his chum, as he noted 
the signs about the mouth of the squatter’s 
wife. 

The woman was surveying them with won- 
der, and not a little awe. 


204 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


want to find George Stormway’s 
place; can you tell us how far along it lies?” 
asked the boy, politely. 

It was wonderful how her tired face bright- 
ened up. Perhaps she had not heard such a 
pleasant voice for ages; and dim echoes of 
some far off past had been awakened. 

“Sho I kin, stranger. It be the second 
house ’long. Hyah, Danny, yuh gwine tuh 
show these hyah gentlemen the Stormway 
place. Git a move on yuh, now, er I’ll peel 
the hide from yah back, sho. Yuh see,” she 
added, turning once more to the visitors, 
‘‘Danny, he’s ben over tuh take his lesson from 
Missus Stormway onct a week. He kin read 
tuh beat the band. Git erlong, Danny, an’ yuh 
’member what I sez!” 

Of course there was no necessity for a 
guide, since they were so near their destina- 
tion. Maurice believed he could understand 
the motive that infiuenced the woman of the 
house — she hoped these strangers might be 
liberal enough to bestow a nickel upon Danny 
for his services ; and possibly her stock of snuff 
was running low. 

But they were so glad to know that the jour- 
ney was nearly over that they made no ob- 
jection. Maurice believed he could spare a 
nickel to square accounts. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


205 


Danny trotted on ahead. He was a shy 
little chap, barefooted, of course, and with a 
ragged shirt and baggy trousers that had evi- 
dently been made from a gunny-sack. 

Maurice happened to have an old newspaper 
in his pocket, which contained a few illustra- 
tions. It might serve the budding genius as 
a means for advancing his reading abilities; 
and so he called Danny back, to present it to 
him, at the same time also handing over the 
coveted coin. 

For they had passed another shack, where 
the squalor was even more positive than in the 
former case, and come in sight of George’s 
home. 

Bully I” Thad could not help saying, as 
soon as his eager eyes alighted on the little 
cabin. 

Maurice understood just how he felt; in- 
deed, he was experiencing the same sense of 
relief ; for the sight of filth and poverty com- 
bined is a terrible thing. 

But the Stormway cabin was different. 
Everjrwhere could be seen evidences of a wom- 
an’s hand. Flowers adorned the beds in front, 
and in the rear there were vegetables calcu- 
lated to give the family many a meal. 

Here, as everywhere, a couple of dogs 
barked in noisy greeting ; but to the boys even 


206 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


these yellow curs seemed of a different breed 
from those guarding other shacks where pov- 
erty abounded. 

And while the three children playing before 
the door were barefooted and had soiled faces, 
still, as Thad expressed it, this was clean 
dirt,” by which he meant that they undoubt- 
edly must have accumulated it inside of an 
hour or two, for there was abundant evidence 
that water was freely used at this place. 

Eagerly the boys waited to see what the 
daughter of old The. Badgeley looked like. 
No woman could stand such a life of care and 
want without showing the lines on her face; 
but when she came to the door to see what all 
the racket meant, Thad just threw up his hat 
and let out a genuine whoop, he was so glad. 

Even in her cheap calico dress the woman 
showed her caliber. Dirt and Mrs. Storm- 
way evidently were at daggers’ points, and 
could not live peaceably together under the 
same roof. It was a relief just to look at her 
face, after what they had recently seen. 

And when she talked, while there was the 
Southern accent to some extent, they missed 
that twang and peculiar type of expression so 
common among the poor whites. 

^‘This is Mrs. Stormway, I reckon?” said 
Maurice, as he came up. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


207 


‘^Yes, that is my name, sir,’’ she replied, 
while her face lighted up with some sort of 
expectancy. 

^^My name is Thad Tucker, and I’m from 
Kentucky, ma ’am ! ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Oh ! Thad Tucker ! Then you are the boy 
father used to write about? What on earth 
brings you away down here ? Have you come 
to see meV^ 

She was holding his hand now, plainly ex- 
cited. 

A man had followed her to the door. He 
was white and thin, but had a face that Mau- 
rice like at first sight. If this was George, as 
he believed, then it was worth while that they 
go to all this trouble to bring him good news. 

‘^This is my friend, Maurice Pemberton. 
He’s from old Kentucky, too. You see,” said 
Thad, hardly able to phrase a connected story 
in his excitement, ‘‘the folks he was livin’ with 
broke up, and he was left with nary a home. 
Now, I’d been keepin’ house on the shanty- 
boat old The. — I mean your father, give me 
when he was carried off to the hospital. Mau- 
rice he got a letter from his Uncle Ambrose, 
telling him to be in New Orleans in February, 
and he’d give him a berth on the big tramp 
steamer he’s captain of. So Maurice and me 


208 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


we made up our minds to drift down South on 
our shanty-boat/’ 

“And on your way you determined to stop 
over and see me. How good of you, Thad 
Tucker. Oh, I am so glad to see you! Now 
I can hear about my poor father’s passing. 
All I know was contained in a short letter 
from the authorities of the hospital, saying 
he had been taken there and died. There was 
money enough found on his person to pay for 
burying him, but that was all. Come here, 
George, I want you to meet my father’s young 
friend, Thad Tucker. You remember reading 
about him.” 

The thin man advanced with rather totter- 
ing steps, but a pleasant smile on his face. 
Maurice wondered whether what Kim. Stal- 
lings had said would prove true; and if this 
man, racked by malaria, could regain his 
health if he changed his home to higher 
ground. 

“But you see I didn’t know where you were 
all this time, only that it was somewhere down 
South. It was only the other day that, just 
by some luck, I happened to be hunting a lost 
trap, when I found something that told us 
where you lived,” explained Thad, fumbling 
in his pocket. 

“And,” went on Maurice, taking up the 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


209 


story where his chum faltered, ‘‘as we were 
only a short distance up the river from More- 
head, we made up our minds that we must 
meet with Bunny.’’ 

“And give her this,” with which words 
Thad fished out the packet and thrust it hur- 
riedly into the woman’s hands. 

“Oh, what is it?” she asked, beginning to 
tremble, not with fear, but delicious eagerness 
and anticipation. 

“Something your dad wanted to get to you. 
He tried to tell me about it just when he was 
took, but I couldn’t understand him. It was 
lyin’ in a hole back of the lining of the boat, 
and just where he kept the few muskrat traps 
he owned,” finished Thad. 

Mrs. Stormway began to undo the string, 
though her hands trembled so she could hardly 
make much progress. Finally George himself 
had to take possession and cut the cord with 
a knife. 

When he opened the little rusty coverea 
diary and those beautiful yellowback govern- 
ment gold notes fluttered to the ground there 
was a tense silence. Both George and his wife 
could not believe their eyes. Perhaps, to tell 
the truth, they had never before seen even 
one yellowback note, and hardly understood 
what they were. 


210 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


‘‘There’s just three hundred and thirty dol- 
lars, all in good gold bills issued by the United 
States Government. And he meant it for you, 
ma’am, ’cause he says so in his diary. I reck- 
on he wanted to fetch it down when he came 
in the winter; but he never made the ripple.” 

While Thad was explaining in this manner 
George and Maurice were picking up the pre- 
cious bills. The man was so excited he could 
hardly speak; but when he stood there with 
the little book in his hand, he looked at his 
wife and she at him. Then they rushed into 
each others’ arms, while the boys winked hard 
to keep the tears from flowing. It was an 
affecting sight, indeed. 

“Now we can get away from here. Now we 
can go on a farm in the uplands, where you 
will get strong and well, George. Oh, I am so 
happy I hardly know what to do! And to 
think that father saved all this money for me ! 
And that you brought it to us, just when it 
looked so dark that even I was beginning to 
be afraid!” 

Before Thad knew what she meant to do 
George’s wife was kissing him, and George 
shaking his hand furiously. Maurice came 
in for a second edition of the grateful cou- 
ple’s thanksgiving ; but on the whole both boys 
stood the ordeal fairly well. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


211 


Come in and rest yourselves, my dear boys. 
You have brought me blessed news today, and 
I shall never forget it; never. You must stay 
over night with us, because there is so much 
I want to know about him. We haven’t much 
to offer you in the way of food, but George 
here can borrow Captain Peek’s mule and go 
to the store for things.” 

‘‘Not for us,” said Maurice, decidedly; “we 
will be only too glad to stop over with you 
one night, since you insist, for, of course, there 
is lots my chum can tell you. And, by the 
way, Mr. Stallings sent this package to Mrs. 
Stormway. I think it’s got some coffee in 
anyhow, for we smelled it. He knew we had 
some good news for you, and wanted to say 
that he was mighty glad George would have 
a chance to pull up stakes and get out of this 
lowland.” 

The package did contain several articles in 
the line of groceries, which the good-hearted 
storekeeper judged the Stormways would be 
out of, and when she saw this evidence of his 
thoughtfulness the eyes of George’s wife filled 
with tears, even though she laughed and ap- 
peared light-hearted. 


212 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER XIX. 

ONCE MORE AFLOAT. 

The balance of that day and the evening would 
long be remembered by the boys. Maurice 
found the three children bright and interest- 
ing; nor was that to be wondered at when 
they had so intelligent a mother to guide them 
along the way. 

George had considered the future so often, 
in case he ever had the chance to get on an 
upland farm, that he had his plans all laid out. 

He looked ten per cent better by the time 
night settled in around that little shack in the 
wilderness, and even doubting Thad made up 
his mind that George was going to get well. 

And that night was one of pleasant inter- 
course. There were scant rations in the cabin, 
but then Bunny knew how to cook, and what 
they had was a treat to the boys, accustomed 
to looking after themselves so long. The hoe 
cake was browned just right and tasted better 
than anything the boys had eaten for a long 
while, and somehow the coffee was better than 
they had been able to brew. 

In the morning George took the boys aside. 

‘‘I’m agoin’ to ask you boys to do me a 
great favor,” he said, mysteriously. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


213 


Maurice looked at Thad and the latter 
turned white. He feared that George meant 
to insist upon their sharing his little pile, and 
neither of them would have touched one cent 
on any account. 

‘‘Yes, what’s that, George?” asked Mau- 
rice, who on second thought remembered that 
that subject had been threshed over on the pre- 
ceding night, when the good woman had tried 
to make them accept a gift to help them along 
and they had firmly declined. 

‘ ‘ Why, you see, I ’m that afraid of bein ’ robbed 
now that it worried me a heap. Suppose I 
jest hold out that odd thirty and let you take 
the three hundred over to Kim Stallings to 
keep for me till I want it? I’d be mighty 
much easier in my mind, boys, if you would 
oblige.” 

Thad waited for his chum to say, for in a 
case of this kind he always deferred to Mau- 
rice as being better able to decide. 

“To be sure, we will, George; I didn’t want 
to mention it to you, but was a little afraid 
something might happen to the money. Are 
you able to leave home today? Could you 
borrow that mule you spoke of and go with 
us to Morehead? It would be better to get 
some paper from Kim to secure you?” 

George thought he could make the journey. 


214 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


especially with the mule. And besides, there 
were some things he would dearly love to fetch 
back with him — things that Bunny had long 
gone without, for the boys had seen that she 
was barefooted. 

So it was arranged, to the delight of the 
good woman and the three young Stormways. 
This had been a great event in the lives of 
the boy and two girls, and they never wearied 
of hanging about the young fellow who had 
known ^‘mon’s daddy.” 

The mule was borrowed from the obliging 
neighbor, and about nine in the morning they 
started for Morehead, George being moimted 
on the back of the animal, though he tried to 
insist upon their taking turns. 

But at this both boys laughed in scorn. Why, 
that five miles would only be a ^^fiea bite,” 
as Thad declared, to them; and they really 
needed the exercise, after being cooped up so 
long aboard the little old Tramp, 

Bunny saw them depart with considerable 
emotion. Thad was afraid she would insist 
on kissing him again, but the good woman 
contented herself with squeezing his hands 
and telling him once more what a blessing he 
had brought to her poor little home. 

George was interested in the tree that had 
contained such queer fruit, and as they halted 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


215 


under its branches for a brief spell the boys 
had to relate the story over again. 

They had reached a point nearly two-thirds 
of the way to the river hamlet when they heard 
a great barking and baying of dogs. The 
sound appeared to come from over beyond the 
big timber. 

‘‘Seeds like the sheriff he’s barking up the 
tree at last. I jedge he’s got them coons sep- 
arated from ther hook in the swamp, an’ if 
that’s so they ain’t agoin’ to ’scape him this 
time,” remarked George, as they stopped to 
listen. 

The sounds grew fainter, however, showing 
that the chase must be leading away from the 
road they followed. 

“I’m right glad of that,” remarked Thad, 
“for d’ye know, Maurice, I’d sure hate to see 
any more prisoners in the hands of that 
posse.” 

“Reckon there wouldn’t be much danger o’ 
that,” remarked George, with a significant 
nod, which Maurice took to mean that if 
caught those black criminals might meet with 
a short shrift. 

He could hardly believe that, however, since 
Sheriff Jerrold was a duly authorized officer 
of the law and sworn to see it carried out in 
the proper manner. 


216 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


They arrived at the river before noon. 

There she is!” exclaimed Thad, eagerly 
pointing, and George saw that it was a little 
squatty shantyboat he meant. 

^^Why, I hope you didn’t think anybody 
would be so mean as to steal our TrampV^ 
demanded Maurice, although he, too, experi- 
enced more or less lively satisfaction to once 
more set eyes on the clumsy craft that had so 
long been their home. 

^‘Well, down in this country nobody can tell. 
They say that if a man does anything wrong 
his first idea is to hook a boat, no matter what 
kind, the nearest he can lay hands on, and cut 
downstream. But the sheriff is stirring things 
up just now, and bad men must lie low. Any- 
how, there’s our bully old Tramp, right side 
up with care.” 

Kim Stallings was glad to see George again, 
and when he heard what glorious luck had 
befallen him, there was genuine warmth in 
the handshake he thrust upon the weak man. 

Of course, he was only too willing to act as 
custodian for the three hundred dollars, and 
gave George a receipt for the money. When 
he had settled on the upland farm he meant 
to rent, he could easily get what the store- 
keeper was holding for him. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


217 


And now it was high time our boys once 
more started on their voyage. 

Hundreds of miles still separated them from 
their destination, and no one could prophesy 
what difficulties must be faced and overcome 
before they eventually brought up in New 
Orleans. 

It was just noon when they let go and 
pushed out upon the friendly bosom of the 
mighty Mississippi. 

Kim and George gave them a parting salute, 
which the voyagers sent back with a good will. 
Then shortly a bend cut them off from view, 
and the little episode was numbered with the 
past. 

‘^Anyhow, it was a bully time we had there,’’ 
said Thad, as he started to knock some sort 
of lunch together, while his chum looked after 
piloting the boat. 

^‘You bet it was, and neither of us will ever 
forget it. When Bunny and George saw that 
bunch of yellow boys, didn’t they stare 
though ? I came near blubbering myself, hon- 
est, Thad, I was that worked up,” confessed 
Maurice, frankly. 

‘‘Oh! I slobbered right over, only you didn’t 
see me, because I got behind. I’m right glad 
we did it; and wasn’t that a hunky-dory find, 
though? Every time I set eyes on that hole 


218 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


I’ll just have to think of the great luck we 
had.” 

The old life was taken up again. Borne 
along on the rapid current of the powerful 
river, they made mile after mile as the day 
wore on. 

Nothing of moment occurred to disturb the 
serenity of the scene, and as evening ap- 
proached they hunted as usual for a good 
place where the shantyboat could be tied up 
for the night. 

Once they thought this had been found when 
what seemed to be the mouth of a stream was 
sighted ahead; but as they pushed in it was 
only to find that another fioating family had 
pre-empted the place. 

The boys might have even remained had they 
seemed to be anything like Bob Archiable, 
for instance, the clock mender of earlier days, 
but the looks of the three men they saw quite 
discouraged them. 

‘‘Out we go again,” muttered Maurice, as 
they cleared the mouth of the creek, followed 
by shouts from the owners of the other craft, 
who called to them to pull in and “have a good 
time.” 

Our boys knew only too well what that im- 
plied, for liquor and cards must form the sum 
total of what these rough characters called a 
“good time,” and they wanted none of that. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


219 


So it was just about dark before they found 
a chance to tie up to a friendly tree that 
chanced to be close enough to the edge of the 
bank to take their short cable. 

Supper was prepared as usual. The pro- 
visions secured from the warm-hearted store- 
keeper of Morehead Landing enabled them to 
spread themselves to some extent. And Thad 
declared that life was worth living again, as 
he sat there after eating, and lighted his pipe 
for a smoke. 

‘^What so sober about, Thad?” asked the 
other, when he had been watching his chum’s 
face for some little time. 

Thad looked up, and grinned in his usual 
happy way. 

‘‘Oh! it ain’t that I’m feeling bad, for I 
reckon if any feller has a right to call himself 
lucky that’s me. Where would I be now if it 
hadn’t been for you inviting me to make this 
cruise ” 

“Here, don’t you get to harping along like 
that again, my boy. Didn’t you promise to 
call it square? And do you suppose for one 
little minute that I’d be here unless you were? 
Why, in the first place the boat belonged to 
you. I didn’t have half enough money to take 
me all the way to Orleans; and I just reckon 
I’d had a tough deal trying to negotiate more, 


220 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


the way things went at our home town. Now, 
just what were you thinking about? I bet I 
can give a guess. 

“Well, what?’’ demanded Thad, quickly. 

“It wasn’t about George and Bunny, be- 
cause then you’d have had a smile on that face 
of yours. Seems to me you must have been 
wondering if they got ’em!” 

“Meanin’ the coons of the swamp? Yes, 
that’s what I had on my mind. I never saw 
one of ’em, and yet somehow I keep a-won- 
derin’ whether they had a square show. Oh! 
well, it ain’t any of our business; and I reckon 
they must’ve been a bad lot, from what Kim 
said. But I’m right glad they didn’t get ’em 
while we happened to be there, Maurice.” 

“That’s me, every time. But forget it, and 
let’s talk about what we expect to do down 
below. Here’s the charts, such as they are, 
and none too reliable at the best. We ought to 
study ’em time and again, because we may 
want to take a cut-off and save twenty miles 
or more.” 

“Don’t they say that’s dangerous work?” 
asked Thad. 

“Well, yes, it is, sometimes; but there are 
several places where all the drifters pass 
through. You know our bully good friend, 
Bob Archiable, marked two on the map. He’s 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


221 


used ’em several years in succession, lie said.” 

^‘Yes, that’s so; but seems to me he said 
we’d better keep our eyes and ears open all the 
way down, and ask questions. Sometimes 
these cut-offs fill up, and then a shanty-boat 
gets lost in a heap of cross canals. He says 
they’re like hen tracks sometimes.” 

‘^Well,” remarked Maurice, thoughtfully, 
‘4t would be a pretty tough deal if we ever got 
mixed up in one of those puzzles. We’re short 
of grub, and there’s only a few dozen shells 
left. Yes, I reckon we will go mighty slow 
about leaving the old creek and dipping into 
any of these tempting canals.” 

So they chatted and exchanged views as 
they sat there until both grew sleepy, when 
the cozy bunks coaxed them into retiring. 

Nothing occurred to annoy them during the 
night; though once Thad awoke suddenly and 
sat up with a low cry on his lips. 

Maurice never heard what the nature of his 
dream might be; but he could give a good 
guess and felt that it must in some way be 
connected with those fugitive blacks of the 
swamp, and the coming of that sheriff’s posse 
with the fierce dogs. 

In the morning they were early astir. 

It seemed as though they had been away 
from home a long time after that one night 


222 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


spent with the Stormways. Thad remarked 
how natural it was to get breakfast again; 
and Maurice said something along the same 
lines as he went ashore to gather up a supply 
of firewood for future use. 

Again they moved with the current, always 
heading south. Every mile passed over 
counted, since it took them nearer the point 
for which they were aiming. 

Thus several days glided along. 

Bad weather alternated with good, but they 
were wise enough to prepare in peace for war; 
and thus did not get caught napping when 
trouble descended upon them. 

As the days passed they talked less and less 
of what had gone by, and began to take a 
keener interest in what lay ahead. 

Now and then the little old Marlin was 
called on to supply them with a game supper; 
and never did it fail to do its duty when the 
chances were right; so that, on the whole, 
they fared pretty well, and had no complaint 
coming. 

When two weeks had passed since that night 
with George Stormways and his family, they 
were down in the neighborhood made famous 
during the Civil War; for Vicksburg lay not 
more than ten miles ahead. 

They had been wonderfully favored during 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


223 


this time, and no accident had occurred to 
mar the run, the weather being on the whole 
fair, though one cold storm caught them un- 
prepared and gave them a bad night. 

That was a time when Thad’s prophecies 
failed to save them from inconvenience; but 
those who endeavor to read the weather are 
not bothered by an occasional upset in their 
calculations, and on the very next occasion he 
came to time just as smiling as ever. 

The river seemed to be growing with each 
passing day, and stretched so far into the west 
that there were times when they could dimly 
see the opposite bank, which Maurice declared 
must be ten miles distant; though again it 
would not be anything like that to the Arkan- 
sas shore. 

But they had now passed the southern bor- 
der of the state, and he announced that the 
land they were gazing at far over the tumbling 
waters was that of Louisiana, the very state 
for which they were bound. 

From this time on they could not expect to 
make such good progress, because of the un- 
usual care that must be taken in order to keep 
them from losing themselves in one of the 
false channels. 

Again and again would they be tempted to 
shorten their day’s trip by cutting into one 


224 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


of these enticing necks; but Maurice had re- 
solved that he would not allow such a thing, 
and in the end it proved a wise precaution. 

He believed that an ounce of prevention was 
better than a pound of cure, as it certainly is 
under all circiunstances, and especially during 
a water voyage down such a treacherous 
stream as the Mississippi. 

They began to have adventures with stroll- 
ing darkies who visited them after they had 
tied up for the night; and once when a noisy 
crowd had threatened to do them bodily harm 
because the boys had declined to make them 
a present of tobacco and strong drink, both 
of them had to do guard duty during the night 
for fear of an attack. 

All these things told them that they were 
now getting down into the sunny South, and 
that they would meet with disappointments 
there as well as in other places, for true it is 
things seem more alluring at a distance. But 
both boys were sturdy in body and determined 
in spirit, so that they were not apt to be dis- 
couraged by a few backsets of this character. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


225 


CHAPTER XX. 

ON A PliANTATION IN DIXIE LAND. 

Once below Vicksburg and the two boys felt 
that they were doing well. 

True, many difficulties had arisen to give 
them a chance to show their grit and back- 
bone. Maurice was of the opinion that they 
had come out of these confficts with flying 
colors, and each victory seemed to renew their 
self confldence, as though that were the true 
reason for the encounter. 

There was no lack of shooting in this region, 
for ducks traded between the river and adja- 
cent lagoons at all hours of the day, and many 
times Maurice was able to bring down a feath- 
ered pilgrim of the air with a shot from the 
deck of the shanty-boat itself, retrieving the 
same with a nail fastened to the end of one 
of the poles. 

What interested the boys most were the cot- 
ton fields that they began to see. 

Of course, both were familiar with cotton 
in many of its aspects, having been born and 
brought up close to the Kentucky border; but 
these big fields where they could see myriads 
of the open bolls not yet culled, late as the 
season was, caused them much pleasure. 


226 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOY^: 


And the negroes became more jovial the far- 
ther south they went. It seemed as if the 
black man in migrating north left his natural 
condition behind, and assumed many of the 
cares of the white man. Down in the cotton 
country he was at his best, full of laughter, 
careless of tomorrow so long as he had a dime 
in his ragged trousers, and of course light- 
fingered when he saw a chance to lift anything 
and no one appeared to be looking. 

The boys had a lot of fun with some of these 
good natured darkies who came about the fire 
they were accustomed to starting on shore 
when the occasion allowed. 

Sometimes they bribed them to dance a hoe- 
down, or sing songs as the spirit moved. 

Maurice was surprised to find that they fa- 
vored the sentimental songs of the day, such 
as were being sung in the North. He won- 
dered so at this that finally he asked one tel- 
low, a gray-headed old chap, what had become 
of the negro melodies once so famous, and now 
so seldom heard. 

Then he learned that the negro of the South 
had reached a stage of progress wherein he 
did not wish to be reminded of the fact that 
he was once a slave and the property of a 
white master; and as most of those dear old 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


227 


songs are along that line he gives them the 
go-by when choosing his minstrel lays. 

But by a little species of bribery they man- 
aged to induce some of their visitors to sing 
the ‘‘S’wanee Eibber/’ ‘‘Massa’s in de Cold, 
Cold GrounV’ Black Joe,’’ and others of a 
similar nature. 

‘‘Dear Ole Hom’ny Com” seemed to be a 
prime favorite among them, and the boys 
themselves never tired of joining in the chorus. 

After they had lost several articles from 
some of these blacks pilfering they learned to 
keep the cabin door locked when going ashore. 
If bent on stealing, the southern negro can 
accomplish his purpose in spite of watchful 
eyes, since there will come a moment when 
attention is directed in another quarter, and 
like a shadow he will creep aboard and accom- 
plish his end. 

Another thing began to trouble them about 
now, and this was the fact that their slender 
stock of money had entirely given out, with 
some weeks ahead before Uncle Ambrose could 
be expected to come to the rescue. 

Hence it became necessary that they find 
some means of earning something. 

Thad could fall back upon his experience 
as a carpenter, and if he could get employment 
now and then might bring in enough of the 


228 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


needful to supply them with the necessities 
of life. 

Maurice on his part would only too willingly 
have done anything in his line if he could find 
a chance. He was a pretty fair bookkeeper, 
but it did not seem likely that he would run 
across any one in this part of the country who 
wanted his books balanced. 

Still both of them began to be on the look- 
out for opportunities, determined to do what- 
ever their hand came in contact with. 

It was at Gibson’s Landing that Thad 
struck his first chance. 

Things were getting rather low, and they 
had not enjoyed a cup of coffee for two days, 
on account of a lack of supplies or the where- 
withal to purchase the same. 

Maurice was cleaning some fish they had 
taken that day when he saw Thad coming at 
an unusually swift pace, and a look on his face 
that spoke volumes. 

^^And now what?” he demanded, as his part- 
ner sprang aboard. 

''Bully news — ^IVe struck a job. Last a 
week or so, and give us enough cash to carry 
us through with careful nursing. And that 
ain’t the whole of it, either,” was the way he 
broke loose. 

"It’s good as far as you’ve gone; now what 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


229 


else can there be to make you feel so fine*?’’ 
demanded Maurice. 

‘‘Mr. Simon Buckley ” 

“Who’s Mr. Simon Buckley 

“Why, I was just going to tell you — ^he’s a 
rich planter back here a bit. I happened to 
mention the fact that I was a carpenter look- 
ing for a job and he jumped on to me and said 
he was looking for just such a man.” 

“Hurrah!” broke in the other, his face full 
of smiles. 

“Then we got to talking,” Thad continued, 
“and I told him all about what we were trying 
to do, and he seemed interested and asked 
questions, principally about you. What d’ye 
think; he knows your Uncle Ambrose; why 
once, many years ago they were together in 
Cuba? And he wants both of us to come with 
him tomorrow when he starts back to his 
home; because he says he’s got his books in 
a terrible muss, and would be mighty glad to 
have you straighten ’em out; and what d’ye 
think of all that, eh?” 

Maurice smiled at his enthusiasm, but was 
certainly feeling a bit the same way himself. 

“Why, all I can say is what you’re so fond 
of shouting whenever any good luck floats our 
way — ^bully, bully, bully all around! I felt 
sure we’d strike something before the worst 


230 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


came ; and as usual it was you who had to run 
across it. But how are we going to leave our 
floating home while we pay this week’s visit 
to the plantation of Mr. Buckley?” 

‘‘I thought of that when he said you must 
come, too, and when I spoke of it to him he 
told me of a man he knew living on the river 
— that’s his shanty you see below there, with 
the chimney on the outside — ^who would look 
after the boat and Dixie for a dollar and be 
glad of the chance. It’s all fixed, my boy, and 
you needn’t worry a bit. We’ll be sure of 
our grub for a week, see something of a simon- 
true Southern plantation, earn twenty dollars 
between us, and get in great shape for busi- 
ness. Say, is it all right?” 

Maurice, of course, declared that it was, and 
thereupon Thad did one of his regular horn- 
pipes, to the amusement of some darkies on 
the shore, who began mocking him, but in a 
way that did not give offense. 

So that night they made arrangement with 
the man Mr. Buckley recommended to have 
him keep their boat in his care, along with the 
yellow dog. 

In the morning they again bade farewell to 
their comfortable floating home for a brief 
time, and meeting the planter, joined him in a 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


231 


ride to the interior where his plantation was 
located. 

Mr. Simon Buckley was a character very 
interesting to Maurice. 

He had been something of a soldier of for- 
tune since the Civil War and drifted pretty 
much around the whole world, so that he was 
a walking encyclopedia of knowledge upon 
almost any subject. 

What interested Maurice most of all was 
his association with Uncle Ambrose in Cuba 
many years before. It was with considerable 
surprise that the lad learned how his steady- 
going relative had once upon a time been a 
wild blade, an adventurer as it were, ready to 
take up with anything that promised excite- 
ment, and a hope of gain in a fairly decent 
way. 

Simon Buckley had been very fond of An- 
thony, it would seem, and his delight at run- 
ning across a nephew of his old comrade was 
unmistakable. 

The voyagers had never met with a luckier 
bit of fortune than when Thad chanced to 
interview this veteran. 

Mr. Buckley had long ago settled down to 
a humdrum life as a planter, having wedded 
the daughter of a big man in the parish. When 
the old spirit of turbulence grew too strong 


232 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


within him to resist he had to work it off by 
a bear hunt in the Mississippi canebrakes, or 
perhaps a lynching bee — he did not state this 
latter positively, but there was something in 
the wink he gave the boys while speaking of 
such things that told them the truth. 

They were too wise to think of starting an 
argument with a Southern man upon a sub- 
ject of which they had a very small amount 
of information, and which entered upon his 
daily life, so they said nothing while he was 
present. 

That ride was one long to be remembered, 
for they saw things that might never have 
come under their observation otherwise. 

Various plantations were passed, and col- 
lections of negro cabins, around which hosts of 
youngsters were playing, as free from care 
as the rabbit that ran across the road — indeed, 
much more so, for Bunny had to look sharp 
lest he afford a meal for one of his many 
enemies, while these pickaninnies had their 
daily wants supplied, and grew} up like so 
many puppies. 

Along about noon they reached their desti- 
nation. 

The Buckley plantation was well known in 
that section as one of the best in western 
Mississippi. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


233 


Of course, the main staple was cotton, king 
of the South; but there were various other 
products that the owner raised. He had a 
grinding mill and produced a large amount 
of sugar and molasses in season. Then on 
some lowlands he grew rice of a superior qual- 
ity. His ambition being to constantly improve 
on what had been produced the preceding sea- 
son, his experience all over the world proved 
of value to him now, when he could calmly 
review what he had seen and profit by it. 

The place seemed an ideal Southern planta- 
tion to Maurice, and he soon wished he had a 
camera along with which to secure some views 
that he could carry with him wherever he 
went. As the owner had a weakness that way, 
the want was supplied before they had been 
there two days, and when the time came to 
depart, lo, Maurice had a dozen or two pic- 
tures in his possession to show ‘‘Old Am- 
brose,’’ as the planter said. 

Indeed, it took Maurice just two days to 
straighten the books out, and then Mr. Buck- 
ley kept him busy with that camera; for he 
had had miserable success himself in handling 
it, and was just hoping some one would come 
along with a better knowledge of such things 
than himself. 


234 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER XXI. 

A NIGHT HUNT FOE COONS. 

‘‘What do you think,” said Thad, one after- 
noon, after they had been nearly a week at the 
plantation, “tonight the major’s going to take 
us out on a regular old ’coon hunt. I’ve tried 
to get ’coons that way lots of times up home, 
but never had the right kind of dog. But 
that yellow Spider of his is the best in the 
county, he says, while Crusoe is a good 
second.” 

“That sounds fine, and I sure will be glad 
to go along. But is it Robinson Crusoe he 
means when he calls that poor white dub?” 
asked Maurice, looking up from the book he 
was reading after work hours. 

“Yes; you see he found the poor chap with 
a broken leg on an island in the swamp. He 
would have starved to death only Mr. Buckley 
happened along in a canoe. And so he named 
him Crusoe. They make a splendid pair for 
the business, he says,” went on the excited 
Thad. 

“Who says — Crusoe?” asked the other. 

“Oh, shucks! You know I mean the ma- 
jor. Now, there’s his bear dogs, they’re a dif- 
ferent proposition, eh; all of ’em big and 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


235 


fierce, just like you’d expect to find when it 
comes to stopping a black bear in the cane- 
brake. And he says we might try a chance 
with him tomorrow after Bruin. He’s got a 
rifle to loan us apiece!” 

‘‘I suppose you mean the major has, and 
not the bear. All right, I’m in anything like 
that. Never saw a wild bear in my life, and 
perhaps I’ll be so scared that I won’t know 
which end of the gun to aim at him; but I’m 
game to try, Thad; just let him give me a 
chance.” 

‘‘Here he comes now,” declared Thad. 

“Good gracious! the bear?” cried his 
chum, in pretended alarm. 

‘ ‘ Rats ! Ma j or Buckley, of course. ’ ’ 

The planter was never tired of the company 
of the two boys. He had no children of his 
own and enjoyed the coming of these two 
bright lads so much that he declared it was 
quite a revelation to him. 

“I don’t see how I’m going to stand it after 
you leave here, boys, he said, as he came up ; 
“I never before realized what it meant to have 
young blood around. Tell you what I pro- 
posed to the missus last night after you went 
to bed. I’ve got some nephews and nieces 
down in Natchez, children of my younger 
brother, Larry. Don’t believe they’re getting 


236 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


along as well as they might since poor Larry 
lost his life while out duck hunting in a bayou 
four years back. I’m thinking seriously of 
running down to see my kith and kin, and, if 
I fancy ’em as much as I think I will from 
the pictures they sent me awhile back, I’m 
going to bring ’em here, bag and baggage, to 
make their home with us. And that’s what 
comes of knowing you two lads. They’ll have 
to thank you for their good fortune.” 

‘‘But we never even heard of them, major,” 
protested Maurice. 

“That’s so, my lad, but you’ve made such 
an impression on my old heart that my eyes 
are opened, and I see it isn’t right for us to 
live on in this fine place while poor old Larry’s 
children and widow are possibly in want. My 
mind is quite made up on that score, and if 
they don’t come it won’t be my fault,” the 
planter went on. 

“Then I’m glad for one that we visited your 
plantation,” asserted Maurice. 

“Here, too,” echoed his chum, immediately. 

Then they fell to talking of the anticipated 
night’s sport with the ’coon pack in the woods. 

“It’s late for the best hunting in that line,” 
remarked the owner of Crusoe and Spider; 
“you see the ’coons are fattest along about the 
ripe corn full moon, and that’s when we go 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


237 


after ’em most. Still, I reckon we can scare 
up a few, though our way of finding ’em may 
be off color a bit. But I thought you wouldn’t 
mind that, so long as you saw how it was 
done.” 

Both boys immediately declared that they 
were indebted to him for thinking so much 
about their pleasure. 

‘‘Humbug!” said the gentleman, vigor- 
ously; “why, your coming has given me more 
pleasure than I could ever return. It’s wak- 
ened me up, my wife says, and given me a new 
lease of life. Why, just to meet one of old 
Ambrose’s nephews has been a tonic for me. 
Haven’t I spent nearly every evening in re- 
tailing old stories of our doings over on that 
blessed island of Cuba, when we were with the 
insurrectos and fighting against the power of 
Spain? No, I just couldn’t do too much for 
such fine lads as you are.” 

Such talk was enough to make both boys 
blush. But they were growing to like Major 
Buckley more and more with each passing 
day, and the recollection of their delightful 
experiences while his guests would always re- 
main as a happy era in their southward 
voyage. 

“No use going out right after supper, boys. 
Better wait a little. It’s true that the half 


238 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


moon will have about set by then, but we can 
use torches just as well. Besides, I always 
think they add to the picturesque character 
of the hunt. IVe had them all prepared of 
pitch pine, full of resin, and able to give us 
all the light we want.” 

Of course, both boys knew considerable 
about ’coon hunting at night — ^they would not 
have been true sons of old Kentucky other- 
wise. But it happened that neither had ever 
been fortunate enough to participate in a gen- 
uine chase, and the chance appealed to them 
vigorously. 

About nine o’clock the major announced 
that it was time to make a start. 

The barking of the eager dogs that scented 
the coming fun told that time was passing 
slowly for them as well. Soon the little party 
had assembled and started for the edge of the 
big cornfield. Here several shocks of the 
white corn had been left as a tempting bait 
for a late hunt, and it was at such a point 
they anticipated having the dogs pick up the 
scent. 

Besides the major and the boys there were 
three colored brothers. One of these was 
named Black Joe, and he was a faithful old 
white-headed negro, who had served the ma- 
jor’s father through the civil war. When 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


239 


Buckley married and settled down, his first 
act had been to hunt up old Joe and bring 
him to his plantation as a sort of major domo 
or general overseer, and Joe made good every 
time. 

He was a quaint darky, with a fund of orig- 
inal observations that sometimes made it hard 
for the boys to keep straight faces. Besides, 
this Black Joe could quote Scripture by the 
yard, and nothing ever happened but what he 
had a verse ready. Why, one day when Thad 
was walking with him over some newly cleared 
ground, old Joe suddenly clutched his arm, 
drawing him back and pointing to a little but 
ugly ground adder that lay in the path, in- 
stantly said: 

‘‘Man mus’ watch as well as pray!’’ 

And no one could manage the ’coon pack as 
well as Black Joe. When the excitement 
raged, and the best trained dogs were frantic, 
the master might command without obtaining 
obedience; but let old Joe tell a dog to stop 
barking, or to get out of sight, and it was 
simply wonderful how his words bore fruit. 

A trail was immediately struck by the first 
shock of corn — ^this was the flint variety, and 
as such generally used for hominy through- 
out the entire south. 


240 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


Away went the pack with a chorus of eager 
yelps, while the hunters trailed after them. 

‘‘No hurry, boys,” said the major, leisurely ; 
“when they get him treed they’ll let us know. 
Then’s the time for us to get near and decide 
whether the tree shall be chopped or a nigger 
climb up to knock the critter down to the dogs. 
We never shoot a ’coon ’less the dogs prove 
unable to master him.” 

“Then that does sometimes happen, sir?” 
questioned Thad. 

“Occasionally, but not often. A big ’coon 
may have unusually sharp claws and tear the 
dogs bad. Then he jumps another tree before 
they can stop him. After that we think it 
best to knock him down, rather than risk the 
lives of the dogs. They’s plenty of ’coons, you 
see, but mighty few good dogs.” 

Maurice smiled at the sentiment expressed, 
and yet it covered the ground from the stand- 
point of the man. The ’coon’s opinion was 
not worth asking, it seemed. 

Suddenly the yelping changed its tenor. 

“Does that mean that the ’coon has got 
away?” asked Maurice. 

“Not by a jug full. He’s taken to a tree. 
I reckon they hit it up so fast after him he 
couldn’t reach his own tree, so he bounced up 
the nearest one. We’ll soon see,” said the 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


241 


major, as they moved in the direction of the 
clamor. 

^‘What if he gets to his home tree?’’ con- 
tinued Thad, who wanted to know it all, even 
though not from Missouri. 

‘‘That we call good luck, because, you see, 
boys, sometimes we get three or four varmints 
out of the one stand. Why, I remember once 
we kept smoking ’em out till nine had been 
shook by the dogs. It was what I called the 
colony tree,” laughed the planter. 

Presently they drew close to the spot where 
the racket was being maintained by the dogs. 
The ’coon was silent, but doubtless his eyes 
glowed maliciously as he squatted on a limb 
or in a fork and surveyed the yelping crew 
below. 

“I sees ’im!” exclaimed one of the negroes, 
pointing upward, ‘right on dat ’ere limb nigh 
whar it f o ’ks, sah. Dat Mistah Coon, f oh suah, 
’deed it am!” exclaimed the discoverer. 

“You’re right, Klem,” said the major, upon 
looking closely; “see, boys, you can detect the 
yellow gleam of his eyes as he watches us; but 
not a blessed movement does he make. Hey, 
Klem, you saw him first, and it’s your chance 
to climb up and knock him out.” 

The negro hardly waited for permission, 
knowing the rules under which his master 


242 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


usually hunted at night. He had a club in his 
hand, which he transferred to his teeth as he 
started to climb. 

The tree ^as rather large and would have 
taken too much time to fell for one coon; so 
another method was resorted to in order to 
get the animal down to where the eager dogs 
could pounce upon him. 

^‘Look at the dogs!’’ said Maurice to his 
chum, while the climber was cautiously ap- 
proaching the animal on the limb, so as to pre- 
vent it from ascending higher into the tree. 

They were almost frantic, licking their 
chops, whining and actually shivering with 
eagerness. Well did they know that presently 
there would come to the ground a furry mass 
with sharp claws and teeth, on which they 
were expected to leap and finish with a few 
bites directed either at the throat or the back- 
bone. 

“Watch out dar!” came in a thrilling tone 
from above. 

Klem was now close upon the coon, which 
had retreated further out on the limb. When 
the negro climber had gone as far as he dared 
he suddenly gave a shake that sent the 
wretched animal in a struggling heap down 
through space. 

The dogs were waiting. They saw the coon 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


243 


coming and were on the spot ere he landed, so 
that almost before he could attempt any re- 
sistance both Crusoe and Spider were at his 
throat. 

There was a short, if furious, tussle, for a 
coon is gifted with considerable strength and 
agility, though seldom a match for the right 
kind of a dog. 

Then it was all over. 

The major lifted the still quivering animal. 

‘‘Pretty fat critter. A few more like him 
will pay us for coming out, boys,’’ he declared. 

Then they once more returned to the corn- 
field, where the keen nosed dogs speedily 
caught up another scent. 

Again the party followed leisurely until the 
signal came that the quarry had been safely 
treed. This time they found that it was only 
a small tree, so it was cut down. 

“I want you to see all the phases of coon^ 
hunting, boys,” explained the planter, while' 
the chips were flying under the axes of Kdem 
and Cudjo. 

Of course, the instant the swaying tree com- 
menced to topple the animal made a frantic 
leap; but those sharp eyes of the dogs had 
never once lost track of the quarry, and they 
were quickly after the coon, which, unable 
to scurry up another tree, had to turn at bay. 


244 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


It was soon over, and a second victim had 
been added to the score, much to the delight of 
the blacks, who knew they would surely have 
their share of the spoils of the night hunt. 

The next coon turned out to be a fat ’pos- 
sum, and loud were the exclamations of joy 
on the part of Klem and his comrades when 
this fact was made plain. Indeed, Maurice 
believed he would not have taken any great 
stock in this method of hunting, which seemed 
so unfair to the game, only on account of the 
chances it gave the negroes for a square meal 
in the line of the greatest delicacies they knew. 

So the hunt went on for several hours. 

When about midnight they concluded to re- 
turn to the house, seven coons and two ’pos- 
sums were loaded upon the shoulders of the 
three attendants. And the dogs lagged be- 
hind, quite tired out with their exertions; 
though ready to prick up their ears at the 
slightest suspicious sound from the gloomy 
woods around them. 

‘‘How did you like it, Maurice,” asked 
Thad later on, as they were getting ready for 
bed. 

“Oh, it was an interesting experience,” re- 
turned the other; “but I don’t know that I’d 
give much to repeat the dose.” 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


245 


And Thad was of the same mind. 

‘‘But that bear hunt will be something dif- 
ferent, you bet,” he observed. 

It was. 


246 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER XXII. 

AFTEB BEAR IN THE CANEBRAKE. 

Fortune favored them so far as the weather 
was concerned. 

The next day proved all that could be de- 
sired for the bear hunt in the canebrake. 

Major Buckley had considerable low land, 
which at a certain time of year was overflowed. 
This made the soil very rich and fertile indeed. 

Part of this he planted to rice, and from the 
description of how this was grown, somewhat 
after the Japanese style of transplanting the 
young shoots, the boys realized that it must be 
an interesting business; though their host de- 
clared he was losing money at it, with the high 
cost of labor. 

But other portions of this alluvial soil had 
always been planted to sugarcane; and there 
was a mill on the plantation where this was 
ground, sorghum molasses and sugar being the 
results. 

Besides all this, some miles of the low coun- 
try was covered by a tremendous canebrake. 
Maurice was reminded of his fishing poles as 
used upon the reaches of the Ohio; and indeed, 
doubtless many of those useful articles of com- 
merce may have come from around this very 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


247 


region, as men made a business of securing 
cargoes of the finest canes in competition with 
the Texas and Louisiana product. 

Here in this wilderness, which was like an 
endless sea of waving canes, many of them a 
score and more feet in height. Bruin was wont 
to hide himself. 

Trails ran hither and thither all through the 
miles of dense brake. Sometimes men had 
been lost in the network of paths, and only 
emerged after intense mental and physical 
suffering. Indeed, the boys heard of two cases 
within a few years where the lost one had 
never been seen again; which tales acted as a 
warning against laxity in the line of caution. 

From this jungle the black bears were wont 
to issue at irregular periods to search for their 
prey. The planters naturally suffered from 
the depredations of the cunning rogues, and 
were always ready to join in a hunt that had 
for its main object the running to earth of 
such pests. 

So after breakfast the boys were surprised 
to see several white men ride up to the house. 
One came on a horse, another on a mule, while 
the third chugged along the poor road in some 
sort of a gasolene wagon which he dignified 
by the name of an automobile. 

All carried guns and looked particularly 


248 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


pleased to have a day in the canebrake with 
Major Simon Buckley. 

Maurice had loaded a lot of shells with buck- 
shot. The work had been done under the 
supervision of the veteran hunter, who was 
supposed to know every small detail of such 
sport. 

He even tried the old Marlin with a couple 
of the heavily charged shells, and Maurice, 
who had never attempted such work, was as- 
tonished to see the result, every bullet in the 
charge striking a target supposed to repre- 
sent the bear at a given distance. 

‘‘And look how deep they plug, Maurice,’’ 
the planter had said, with more or less delight; 
“that is a hard shooting gun you have, surely. 
I know the brand well and have an up-to-date 
pump-gun made by the same people that I 
use when I go after wild-fowl on Mosquito 
Bayou. Now, you use it just as you would a 
rifle, and with two charges I warrant that you 
ought to knock over the biggest and sassiest 
bear that ever came out of the brake.” 

Thad had also been fitted out with a rifle; 
for the major, having more than his share of 
sporting blood in his veins, possessed a regular 
arsenal, where he kept all his arms and such 
things as went with them. 

Thad frankly confessed to considerable ig- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


249 


norance in the line of rifle shooting, and the 
kindly major had taken him in hand, explain- 
ing how he could get the best results. 

In the end Thad did himself proud, and his 
mentor declared that he gave promise of even- 
tually becoming a very fine shot. Of course, 
this tickled the boy, although he admitted in 
secret to his chum that it was one thing to 
bang away at a target fastened to a tree and 
quite another when the object aimed at was a 
lively and cantankerous bear, full of fight and 
armed with a set of keen-pointed claws that 
could rip and tear to beat the band. 

‘^Oh!’’ said Maurice, consolingly, you’ll be 
all right when the time comes. Don’t I know 
that you’ve got sand enough in any emer- 
gency? Just make up your mind that if you 
see a bear he’s going to be your meat. I’m 
hoping I only get the chance; for I’d like to 
munch on a steak of a bear that I actually 
killed myself.” 

So the two young Nimrods were well primed 
for the occasion. They met the neighboring 
planters and found that these gentlemen were 
typical southern men, both as regards their 
language, as well as views along such subjects 
as interested Dixieland. 

But our boys had learned the policy of car- 
rying out the well known saying: ‘‘When in 


250 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


Rome do as the Romans do;’^ and while they 
might not wholly agree with everything said, 
they held their tongues wisely, 

"^^en a fourth planter had made his appear- 
ance, a start was made. 

Major Buckley had been chosen as the 
leader of the himt. This was for several rea- 
sons. He was possibly the most influential 
man around the county; had seen much more 
of life than any other gentleman; and his ex- 
perience as a hunter of big game made his 
opinions carry weight. Besides, he it was who 
had organized the present expedition to the 
stalking ground of Bruin. 

Knowing the brake as he did, the major was 
able to reckon on what places they were apt 
to run across game. In fact, as he confided to 
Maurice, he had kept* one of his men busy of 
late taking observations ; and thus was posted 
on the movements of the black denizens of the 
mighty canebrake that stretched as far as the 
eye could reach. 

Each of the boys carried a little compass, to 
be used in case they were unfortunate enough 
to get lost. 

More than this, the major was careful to 
explain to them just how the land lay, so that 
thej^ would know which quarter to make for in 
the event of trouble of this kind. 


€R, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


251 


‘^Head always to the no’theast, lads; now 
don’t forget. The brake runs almost directly 
up and down, you see; and the river lies yon- 
der to the southwest, beyond the waving tops 
of the cane. The higher land is always to the 
no’theast!” he had said, impressively. 

They had both promised they would not for- 
get, though neither had the slightest idea of 
allowing themselves to get lost. 

According to what the major said, there 
were certain trails through the wonderful wil- 
derness of tall canes hich the bears used 
when on the move. 

He proposed stationing some of the party 
in snug retreats where they could watch these 
trails and bag the game if it happened along. 
With one or two others, and several of his own 
men, he meant to drive into the heart of the 
brake in order to start the game moving. 

Once alarmed Bruin was likely to retreat to 
more secure hiding places, and it was antici- 
pated that while thus employed chances for 
the hidden marksmen would be possible. 

The experience of moving through that 
strange forest of tall canes was one neither of 
the boys would ever forget. Up to now they 
had not set eyes on anything like this cane- 
brake, and then besides, there was the thrill 


252 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


of anticipating getting a crack at a lumbering 
beast full of fight ! 

No wonder they nudged each other fre- 
quently and nodded, as if to convey in this 
fashion their appreciation of the situation. 

A couple of the hunters had been placed 
when Major Buckley turned to his young 
guests. 

‘‘I’ve kept a pair of nests for you, boys, be- 
cause they happen to be close by each other. 
You could hear one another yell if you wanted 
to. Here’s the first right now. Maurice, drop 
off and remember all I told you. Better stay 
here till I come for you, no matter how long 
it is. And Thad, come along with me to your 
station.” 

So Maurice gave his chmn a last look as the 
other tramped off in the wake of the guide. 

He settled down to make himself comfort- 
able as best the conditions allowed. Emow- 
ing that he must remain concealed, so that he 
might not be discovered in case the bear ap- 
peared unexpectedly, Maurice began to make 
a hiding place where he could squat upon a 
mat made of broken cane and watch the 
nearby trail. 

Then, having thus arranged things to suit 
him, he settled down for a long and possibly 
tedious vigil. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


253 


The major had told him that there were 
times when they hunted bear mounted on 
horses, but that the present conditions favored 
the runway style of doing business. 

Time crept along. 

The sun grew quite warm, sheltered as he 
was from the breeze. Now and then he heard 
suspicious movements close by, and as his 
nerves were all on edge, on each occasion he 
clutched his gun feverishly and fastened eager 
eyes on the spot where he anticipated the lum- 
bering king of the canebrake might appear. 

But presently he discovered that the sounds 
were caused by nomadic cane rats, curious to 
learn why he was invading their preserves. 
He even caught glimpses of their squirming 
bodies and then saw beadlike eyes fastened 
upon him. 

When he moved again they would scamper 
away, to creep back later on to continue their 
investigations. 

It must be getting on toward noon by now. 

Twice Maurice had also been stirred by 
hearing more or less distant hallooing and the 
barking of dogs. As the shouts had been pre- 
ceded by several shots on each occasion, he 
had reason to believe that some one must have 
been lucky enough to get a chance at game. 

He hoped that if only wounded, Bruin 


254 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


might come along his particular trail and af- 
ford him an opportunity to try the buckshot 
shells that snugly reposed in the twin barrels 
of the old and faithful Marlin. 

Still the minutes crept on and there was 
nothing doing. 

It was really tiresome and Maurice began 
to think that this type of hunting appealed 
very little to his nature. He wanted to be 
moving and looking for the game, rather than 
waiting for it to approach his hiding place. 

What could Thad be doing? He wished the 
major had placed them both on the same sta- 
tion, for then they might have talked in low 
tones ; but possibly that was just why the old 
bear hunter had refrained from doing that 
same thing, because he knew the value of abso- 
lute silence when on the track of so suspicious 
a varmint as a canebrake bear. 

Once Maurice was almost tempted to start 
out and seek Thad. By following the trail he 
believed he might find his chum, especially 
since the party must have left more or less of 
a track behind them. 

On second thought, however, he held him- 
self in check. The warning of the major 
fiashed before his mind, and he knew that 
from many points such a move would be most 
injudicious. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


255 


In the first place what if he should meet a 
bear face to face in the trail — that possibility 
gave him somewhat of a chill, for under such 
circumstances he must lose much of the advan- 
tage that was now his while in concealment. 

Then there was always a chance that he lose 
himself, and thus spoil the day in the interest 
of sport, besides giving the major more or less 
anxiety and trouble to find him again. 

And last of all there must be something of 
a risk, since Thad was supposed to be lying 
in concealment, and in his nervous condition 
who could say that he might not fire, upon 
seeing the tall cane moving with the advance 
of somebody? 

So Maurice decided to stick it out. 

Even if he did not have the good fortune to 
get a chance at a bear the experience was well 
worth the effort it called for. He would never 
be apt to forget the sight of that ocean of 
moving cane, or the queer sounds that greeted 
his ears from time to time. And then, some- 
one else would have the luck, so that after all 
they might enjoy a good, juicy bear steak, 
something he had never eaten in his life, but 
boylike had always looked forward to par- 
taking of. 

Why, it must be getting on toward the mid- 
dle of the afternoon now and no bear. Twice 


256 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


again had he heard shots and shouts, but he 
noted with new regret that these did not seem 
to come from the quarter where he knew his 
chum had been stationed. 

Evidently, then, the major, while wishing 
to give his young guests good stations, must 
have missed his guess for once, for the game 
had surely taken a notion to pass along other 
trails. 

Maurice was just beginning to feel drowsy 
and wondering if he dared allow himself to 
doze, when he suddenly became conscious of 
the fact that something was certainly ap- 
proaching along the crooked trail that he was 
keeping guard over. 

Instantly he was fully awake and once more 
his eager fingers closed around the trigger 
guard of his double-barrel, as he watched to 
see what might come in sight. 

The rustling sound increased and he could 
see the tops of the tall canes in violent commo- 
tion that certainly was caused by something 
besides the gentle wind. 

Then the object of the boy’s solicitude came 
in sight! 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


257 


CHAPTER XXra. 

HOW MAUEICE DID IT 

It was a sure enough bear ! 

Maurice had up to that instant been uncer- 
tain what he was about to see. He had even 
considered that this might be the major com- 
ing to tell him the hunt was over for the day 
and lead him to the rendezvous where the game 
had been taken. 

It seemed to him that his very heart stood 
still, such was the tremendous nature of the 
shock that passed through his body. But Mau- 
rice possessed many of the requisites of a good 
hunter, and he was full of grit, so that his 
hand did not tremble to any appreciable ex- 
tent as he cautiously began to raise his gun 
toward his shoulder, meanwhile keeping his 
eyes glued upon the advancing quarry. 

The bear had been the target of some hunter 
that day, for there was blood upon his sleek 
black side. Doubtless the pain of his wound 
did not serve to check his ugly disposition, 
for he was growling savagely as he lumbered 
along, now and then turning to bite at the 
spot where he had been hurt. 

Maurice instinctively knew that the beast 
was made two-fold more dangerous because 


258 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYSr 


of his wounded condition. If he failed to 
check his advance with his two charges, the 
chances were he would be placed in a perilous 
situation indeed. 

But even this prospect failed to influence 
him in the least, or cause him to consider 
giving up the glorious opportunity. Not for 
worlds would he have missed the opening for 
testing his skill against such a worthy target- 

He fancied that Bruin suspected danger^ 
for once he stopped and began to sniff the air 
suspiciously. Perhaps he had caught a scent 
of human presence ; or it might be some move- 
ment on the part of the concealed hunter had 
reached those keen little eyes. 

Maurice saW that the 'animal was apparently 
looking straight toward the spot where he 
crouched with his gun extended. Should he 
shoot now or wait longer? He decided that 
he could not have a better chance than that 
now offered him, for at any instant the beast 
might take a notion to whirl around and run 
off into the thick of the brake, affording hiTYi 
a meager shot at the protected hindquarters. 

He had covered the animal’s head and his 
finger was pressing the trigger of the left bar- 
rel, which he always fired first. 

At the same time he knew that he must fight 
against gun shyness by which he might flinch 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


259 


just enough at the critical instant to spoil his 
aim and ruin the game. 

Then the gun crashed. 

Maurice, although trembling now with the 
tremendous strain and excitement, kept his 
gun at his shoulder, with his finger trans- 
ferred to the second trigger. 

He wanted to see what the effect of his first 
shot had been before firing again. The little 
cloud of powder smoke drifting across his 
range of vision baffled him for a second or 
two, but at the same time he heard all sorts 
of awful sounds from the region occupied by 
the bear and could easily imagine that the 
monster was charging upon him. 

Then the smoke cleared away sufficiently 
for him to get a view of the situation. It was 
not just as his vivid imagination had pictured 
it. The bear had rolled over under the force 
of the discharge and the impact of those 
twelve buckshot coming with the force of a 
large bullet. Just as Maurice clapped eyes on 
him the monster was struggling up, looking 
even more dangerous than before. 

And so Maurice gave him the second barrel. 
That was what he was there for and he meant 
to do his duty to the best of his ability. 

‘‘Hurrah!’’ 

He could not refrain from shouting, even 


260 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


though overwhelmed by mingled feelings of 
wild joy and acute regret because of the death 
of the bear. 

There could be no doubt about it, he had 
secured his first big game, and the hunter 
spirit in the boy had found expression in that 
cheer. Still, when he came to stand over the 
prize there was something like pity that strug- 
gled in his heart, for he was young at the busi- 
ness and not yet hardened to the sight of 
blood. 

Well, he suddenly remembered that he 
ought to be recharging the twin chambers of 
his Marlin, in case the mate of this big fellow 
happened along the trail, bringing up the rear. 
It would be silly to be caught napping and 
dangerous also. 

Accordingly Maurice hastened to remove 
the discharged shells, which he thrust into his 
pocket as mementos of a most wonderful 
epoch in his life. 

Then he hurried back to his hiding place 
and settled down to wait some more. 

The time did not seem to drag now, for he 
was constantly thrilled with the recollection 
of what he had accomplished. 

A dozen times and more he raised himself 
from his seat in order to make sure that the 
bear had not come to life again and was crawl- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


261 


ing off into the dense brake, but each time he 
was reassured, for his entranced eyes fell upon 
the huge mass lying inert in the trail. 

Lower fell the sun. 

Surely it was time the major made his ap- 
pearance now. Maurice tried to picture to 
himself just what he would say when the party 
turned the bend in the trail and came full upon 
the magnificent quarry. He must calm him- 
self and try to appear totally unconcerned, as 
though knocking over such royal game might 
after all be but a daily occurrence with him. 

Why, the day could not be far from done ! 

What if he were left alone in this myste- 
rious region after dark? 

Maurice did not think he would fancy such 
an experience very much. Surely something 
must have happened to keep the major from 
rounding up his two young guests. Could that 
shouting have been deeply significant? Was 
there a possibility that after all his experience 
the veteran bear hunter had come to grief at 
last at the claws of Bruin ? 

The very thought gave him a bad feeling, 
for not only had he taken a decided fancy to 
this old friend of his uncle, but in such a case 
it might be more or less difficult for others to 
find the boys. 

That reminded him that he had a chum not 


262 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


SO very far away and that they had a signal 
code to be used in case of necessity. 

Was Thad waiting to hear from him? He 
knew the other seldom took the initiative in 
any movement, expecting him to lead. 

With the day near its close Maurice felt that 
he was now fully absolved from every promise 
he had made his friend, the major. 

‘‘Thad is no doubt as lonely as I am, and 
we had better get together,” , was what he 
thought. 

Having made up his mind, he set about car- 
rying out his plan. 

There was a certain “cooie” that, being re- 
peated so many times, stood for different 
things in their code. 

He gave it once as loud as he thought nec- 
essary and then listened. When there was no 
reply he put more emphasis to the sound, and 
this time an answering note reached his ears. 

Then Maurice gave three calls, followed 
shortly by another. This signified that he 
wanted Thad to come to him, and that he 
would from time to time guide him by a signal. 

The answer announced that Thad so under- 
stood and that he was only too willing to start 
right away. 

“It must have been a terribly long day for 
him,” said Maurice to himself, “especially as 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


263 


he never had the first chance to do anything,’’ 
and he could not help looking proudly over 
toward the spot where the big bear lay in a 
heap. 

Now and then Thad gave tongue in a ques- 
tioning way, and on such occasions his chum 
answered back, so that step by step as it were 
Thad felt his way along the trail, guided by 
those clear notes. 

At last he came in view, and as Maurice 
waved his arms the other actually broke into 
a run, so eager was he to join his comrade and 
learn the result of his double discharge. 

‘‘What luck, old chap?” he gasped, as he 
came up finally. 

“Oh, middling! Got one, anyhow!” replied 
the other with a shrug of his shoulders, as 
though he might be talking of black bass. 

“What! Do you really mean it?” cried 
Thad, looking at him closely, as if wondering 
whether the other could be guying him, and 
had shot a wandering coon to pass the time 
away. 

Thereupon Maurice pointed to the motion- 
less hump upon the back trail. 

Thad stared, took several steps forward, 
then ran quickly up to bend over the dead 
bear, and when Maurice joined him, all that 


264 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


the unfortunate hunter could ejaculate was the 
one word : 

^‘Gosh!’' 

But that stood for volumes in the ears of a 
fellow who knew him as well as Maurice did. 

Thad eagerly examined the quarry to see 
where the buckshot had hit home and he was 
loud in his praise of his chum’s markmanship. 

‘‘I bet I couldn’t have done half as well,” he 
declared; ‘‘and I reckon it’s just as well the 
chance came to you, for now we can have our 
bear steak; and it’s going to taste better be- 
cause you got it.” 

“That’s all true enough,” remarked Maur- 
ice; “but I’m wondering what’s happened to 
the major.” 

“Why, what could happen to him?” de- 
manded the other, quick to take the alarm. 

“Oh! I don’t know; but he said there was 
always an element of danger connected with 
these hunts, and that he had known men to 
be mangled by a bear that had been wounded 
and was crazy with pain.” 

“But what makes you think the major’s 
been hurt, Maurice?” persisted Thad. 

“I don’t know, only it seems a long time for 
him to stay away. Look at that sun, will 
you?” Maurice declared. 

“Well, it does seem to be getting pretty low, 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


265 


for a fact,” admitted Thad, beginning to ap- 
pear a trifle anxious. 

‘‘Suppose we’re left here, stranded in the 
heart of this canebrake?” went on his com- 
rade. 

“Oh, well, we’ve got our guns, and I guess 
nothing is going to hurt us. If a storm came 
up we might get ducked, and have a dickens 
of a time. But why not try and make out of 
it? You know what he said in case either of 
us or both got lost?” went on Thad. 

“Yes; to always bear away toward the 
northeast, for the high ground lies there. But 
we couldn’t make any progress if we once 
plunged into the thick cane, and these trails 
run zigzag in every direction, so how could we 
keep heading in one line, I’d like to know? 
Besides ” 

“Besides what?” asked Thad, as his chum 
hesitated. 

“Well, I was thinking of that bear, to tell 
the truth,” said Maurice. 

“Oh, nothing’s going to carry it away over- 
night; you won’t be cheated out of your bag, 
I reckon.” 

“ Your’re away off, Thad; I wasn’t thinking 
about that. Suppose we had to stay here in 
this place a day or two — ^how are we ever 
going to get anything to eat; tell me that?” 


266 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


^‘Ginger! that’s so, and I haven’t got a 
crumb of my lunch left. To tell the truth, 
Maurice, I’m dreadfully hungry right now.” 

‘‘Well, then, why desert our stock of grub?” 

Oh, yes, you mean the bear would keep us 
from starving to death?” 

“I don’t fancy there’s any real danger of 
that, you see; but then it’s mighty uncomfoi*t- 
able to be as hungry as a wolf and nothing to 
eat handy. So if we do decide to leave here 
and try and make the higher ground I’m going 
to turn butcher and cut off some meat before 
we quit this spot.” 

“Bully for you, Maurice. I’m glad you 
sharpened that old hunting knife the major 
loaned you before we started. Suppose you do 
the trick right now. Then we ’ll be able to hike 
out, if we settle it that way.” 

Maurice threw off his coat. 

“Just as you say, Thad; only don’t laugh at 
my clumsy work. I’m no butcher, you know, 
and never even saw a bear cut up.” 

“Never mind. All we want is a hunk of 
meat, and who cares how you manage to hack 
it off. Only, if you can, save the skin, Mau- 
rice.” 

“That’s so,” returned the other, settling 
down to work, “for I had my mind made up 
that it would some day make me a good, warm 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


267 


coat; or else a rug for my cubbyhole aboard 
the old Campertown. Well, here goes!” 

He worked away, and by degrees succeeded 
in partly removing the hide of the bear; at 
least this was done to an extent that allowed 
of his cutting out several large portions of the 
haunches. 

‘‘Guess that ought to be plenty, Thad — all 
we want to tackle if we have a long hike 
through this place. And now, after I get my 
coat on, we’d better be moving. First, though, 
I’m going to leave a note here at the spot 
where my bear lies, telling where we’ve gone 
and why.” 

“Great! It takes that level head of yours, 
Maurice, to think up all these things. But I 
don’t like the looks of that sky over there; 
and I hope we get out of these bottoms before 
a storm drops down on us.” 

But Maurice, as he led the retreat, was 
thinking more about their good friend, the 
major, and hoping that nothing serious could 
have happened to him during the hunt. 

So they turned their backs on the scene of 
his late exploit and started to follow the trail 
toward Thad’s recent hide-out, as that hap- 
pened to lie in a general way almost northeast 
from their starting point. 


268 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

LOST IN THE CANE WILDERNESS. 

It was now rapidly growing into night. 

The moon might have given them more or 
less light, but it happened that the clouds had 
already drawn a veil over that portion of the 
sky. 

Maurice luckily had made it a point lately 
to always carry matches along with him; 
Thad did the same, but was apt to make way 
with most of his stock lighting that blessed old 
pipe of his. 

‘^If it comes to the worst we can clear out a 
place, start a little blaze and cook some of 
our meat,’’ remarked Thad, who seemed to be 
getting more and more hungry as he allowed 
himself to think of it. 

‘‘Well, we must be careful about setting the 
whole canebrake afire, you know. The major 
said it sometimes happened that way at this 
time of year and made no end of a muss. Is 
that where you were chucked away like a 
bug in a rug?” asked Maurice, as they came to 
a certain place. 

“Yes, that’s it,” replied Thad, with a pe- 
culiar little laugh. 

“What’s this mean? Looks like you’d been 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


269 


having something of a fire here/’ continued 
the other. 

Oh, well, I reckon I might as well own up. 
I did have a hot little time for five minutes; 
but I got her down at last,” returned Thad. 

“I suppose you threw a match away after 
lighting your pipe, and before you knew it 
there was a nice blaze eating up all creation*?” 
went on Maurice, shaking his head. 

‘‘It was a fool play, pard, and I’m going to 
take a lesson from it. Gee! but it made me 
hustle for a little time. I jiunped and stamped 
and beat it down; but if there had been a 
healthy old breeze whooping it up I suppose 
the whole blessed thing would have gone with 
a hurrah.” 

“I’m glad no damage was done, for the 
major has been mighty kind to us, and I’d 
hate some to ruin his bear preserves. Let’s 
leave this note you wrote right here where 
anybody can see it if they come here first. 
Now, that’s done; we can go right along, 
Thad.” 

“And in doing that just remember that 
we’re following the track of Major Buckley 
when he left me,” remarked the other. 

“So; but how can we ever know where he 
quitted this trail and branched into one of the 
side cuts? If we had a dog now we could prob- 


270 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


ably follow right after him; but the major 
took the pack with him to scare up the game.’’ 

‘‘Yes,” remarked Thad, quickly; “and I 
heard the hounds give tongue when all that 
shooting came off. I bet you there must have 
been some hot times just then. Hope they got 
some game. Anyhow, we’re not skunked,” 
and he held up his share of the bear meat ex- 
ultantly. 

It was beginning to be more or less difficult 
to keep to the trail. Maurice had taken his 
bearings, for he did not want to be continually 
striking matches to look at his compass so as 
to keep to a general eastward direction when- 
ever the chance came to make a choice. He 
pushed on as fast as the conditions would 
allow; and thus what seemed like a long hour 
crept by. 

“Huh!” grunted Thad, when they came to 
a pause at a point where the trail seemed to 
branch again in a way that was peculiarly con- 
fusing; “don’t see how I can stand it much 
longer, Maurice.” 

“Tired already?” asked the other, trying to 
get his bearings, which was not always an easy 
task, owing to the fact that frequently the tall 
canes bent over and shut out the heavens com- 
pletely. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


271 


‘‘Not so much that as empty, old pard,’^ 
admitted the other. 

“Oh! you mean hungry — ^is that it?” asked 
Maurice. 

“Sure. I don’t see the sense of toting all 
this meat around and going half starved in 
the bargain. I think I could carry some of it 
better insideV^ declared Thad, boldly. 

“Well, it begins to look as if we might as 
well stop here for a little time, make a small 
fire and try cooking some of our grub. But I 
reckon it’s going to be something wicked the 
way we do that same cooking. Don’t I wish 
I had our skillet here now.” 

Maurice had made some sort of mark by 
means of which they could identify the right 
trail when ready to make progress again. 

Thad eagerly dropped his burden and 
started to tear up the dead cane as well as he 
was able. It happened that they were at a 
spot particularly suited for a fire; and it may 
have been this that influenced Maurice to 
agree to his chum’s desires. 

In short time they had a brisk fire going 
and were cutting off small chunks of meat, 
which they meant to toast before the flames in 
a crude hunter fashion. 

Perhaps at another time the taste of these 
slices might hardly have appealed to them in 


272 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


the same fashion it did now, for their aban- 
doned condition made them believe they were 
even more hungry than was actually the case ; 
and then above all it was bear meat, obtained 
through the individual efforts of one of the 
firm. 

So they put in another hour. 

‘^Must be getting late,” remarked Thad, 
after he was bound to admit that he could not 
eat another bite of the ‘‘bear steaks.” 

“And time for us to be pulling out of here, 
too,” suggested his chum. 

“Wow! that was sure a drop of rain,” said 
Thad. 

“I thought I felt one, too. I reckon we’re 
in for some more experiences,” Maurice went 
on, as he arose, and seemed to gird his loins 
up for another plunge into the mysterious 
canebrake. 

“Looky here,” the other observed, with a 
touch of anxiety in his voice, “you don’t sup- 
pose this old bottom land gets flooded every 
time buckets of water drop down out of the 
clouds? Because, if that’s so, we might have 
to swim for it yet.” 

“Why, no, of course I don’t believe that. 
Fact is I was just wondering whether it would 
be rain or snow.” 

“Say, it is getting cold, for a fact. Does it 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


273 


ever snow as far down in Dixieland as this?” 
queried Thad. 

‘‘The major says it does, even if it lasts 
only a short time. Ready? Then off we go, 
and let’s hope we make the high ground this 
trip.” 

“And after we do, what?” demanded Thad, 
who had really eaten so much that he was less 
inclined to tramp than ever. 

“Oh, the only thing to do then is to make a 
fire, get under shelter if we can, and take it 
easy till they come. If the morning finds us 
still alone I’ll take the chances of hiking back 
to Fairhaven plantation.” 

So they went on, bending to the task, now 
heading south, then east anji also in various 
other directions, but on the whole keeping to 
the instructions given by their guide and men- 
tor at the beginning of the grand hunt. 

Thad continued from time to time to grunt 
and complain, but Maurice paid little atten- 
tion to him. He knew that his chiun was 
really game for anything at heart and only 
liked to “blow off a little surplus steam,” as 
he himself called it. 

Ain’t we getting somewhere yet?” de- 
manded Thad, as they stopped again at a point 
where the trail crossed another, so that the 
pilot of the expedition might read the signs 


274 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


and make up his mind which way they ought 
to go. 

‘‘Seems to me that the ground is drier here. 
That means we are getting to higher ground 
with every foot we make to the east. I was 
just wondering whether we could break 
through here, leaving the old trail to look out 
for itself.’’ 

“Don’t you think of it for a minute, Mau- 
rice. Eemember what the major said and 
how hard it was to navigate through the cane 
even in daytime and to a man used to doing 
it. Stick to the trails, he said, and, by hokey, 
we ought to. How could a relief party ever 
find us if we went and branched off? Give 
up that crazy notion, I tell you, Maurice.” 

“Oh, all right, then, I will. Come right 
along. I hope you’re good for six more hours 
of this going,” returned the other. 

“Six more hours, did you say ? N ow, you ’re 
just trying to scare me into a fit, Maurice. 
You know I’d be a living skeleton long before 
that. Don’t you think we ought to be out of 
this blamed hole inside of, say, one more little 
hour? Make me feel better by saying yes, 
old fellow.” 

“Listen!” 

“Great governor, what if it should be an- 
other bear! Why, it’s that dark neither of us 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


275 


could see to aim a bit, and the critter would 
just have a picnic. Say, Maurice, d’ye think 
he can be the mate to the one we’ve been eat- 
ing, and could he smell cooked bear meat on 
us ? Perhaps we ought to throw this old stuff 
away right now and not take any more 
chances!” 

‘‘Hold on, Thad.” 

“But I can hear him coming right along. 
And there, as sure as you live, that was a 
growl. Let’s get down on one knee and give 
the old cane cruiser a hot blast. Don’t you 
hear him coming, Maurice? You keep on 
standing there as if you were scared stiff. 
Drop down here beside me. I’ll stay by you, 
sure I will!” 

“Yes,” said the other, chuckling,” I did 
hear something right then, and I was trying 
to decide whether it was a growl or ” 

“Yes!” 

“A human voice!” went on Maurice. 

“Oh, now you’re just trying to think that. 
You know the chances are it’s that pesky old 
bear!” exclaimed Thad. 

“But look again; bears don’t usually carry 
lanterns, do they?” 

“Hanged if I know what they do in this 
measly old canebrake. I’m sick to death of it. 


276 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


But do you mean to say you see a light?” and 
Thad scrambled to his feet as he spoke. 

did, but just now it’s behind some bend. 
There it shows again!” 

‘‘And I can see men walking, too. Say, I 
reckon it’s a relief party, all right, and we’re 
saved! Let’s give ’em a shout, Maurice, to 
tell them we’re here. They might dodge down 
some other way and lose us. 

Maurice thought this a good idea and so the 
two lost ones sent out a strenuous shout. This 
was immediately answered, while the lantern 
was waved vigorously. 

Five minutes later and they were joined by 
two of the gentlemen who had participated in 
the himt, together with old Black Joe and sev- 
eral other darkies. 

“Here’s some food we fetched along for 
you,” remarked one of the planters, after they 
had shaken hands with the boys. 

“Don’t want anything; just full up on bear 
meat!” replied Thad with as much pride as 
though he himself had bagged the big game. 

Of course, more congratulations followed. 

‘ ‘ But what happened to the major ? I knew 
something was wrong when he didn’t come in 
the afternoon,” Maurice put in. 

“Fact is, he had one of his old attacks, being 
subject to epileptic fits. We got him home 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


277 


and there was so much excitement that we just 
forgot all about you boys until supper time. 
Then the major, who had recovered, asked 
where you were, and we hurried back to the 
brake to rescue you, entering by another way.’’ 

‘^But you got game, I’m sure, from the noise 
I heard?” 

^‘Two bears fell to our guns. One gave us 
quite a fight with the dogs, and it was the 
excitement that fioored the major. He’s get- 
ting pretty well along in years now to be in- 
dulging in such things.” 

Both boys were glad to know it was no 
worse. Their own troubles had faded out of 
sight by this time. 

‘‘Could some of the boys go on and bring 
my bear in? I want that hide the worst 
kind?” said Maurice. 

Black Joe and the other negroes immedi- 
ately volunteered to do so and started off at 
once, leaving to the gentlemen the task of get- 
ting out of the treacherous canebrake. 

The snow was falling by now and the cold 
had increased, but since they were no longer 
faced by starvation and exposure the boys 
minded these things not a bit. Presently they 
expected to be in the comfortable home of the 
planter, detailing their adventures to him as 


278 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


they sat before the roaring fire in the big liv- 
ing room. 

Neither of them would ever forget the ex- 
perience, however. It had just enough of dan- 
ger and spice attached to it to cause them to 
often recall the events of the day and evening 
when hunting black bear in that Southern 
canebrake. 

The remains of Maurice’s bear arrived all 
right later on, and in the morning the major 
himself saw to the removal of the skin. 

^‘It’s torn somewhat from the buckshot,” 
he remarked, after an examination; ^^but you 
can get a good rug out of it. And I don’t 
know of anything more comfortable-like than 
to set your feet on a rug made from the hide 
of a bear you knocked over yourself. You 
did mighty well, my boy, and I’m glad you had 
your chance.” 

So the days glided away and Maurice awoke 
to the knowledge that he and his chum could 
not linger longer in this comfortable nook 
under Southern skies. Stern reality had to 
be faced, and they had a hundred or two miles 
of cruising to do before they reached their 
journey’s end. 

Major Buckley hated to have them go the 
worst kind. 

‘‘It’s been one of the happiest times of my 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


279 


life, lads,’’ he said on the occasion of their 
last evening together; ‘^and I’m not going to 
be shut out of such enjoyments any longer, for 
I’ve sent for the whole kit of relatives and I 
expect them in a few days.” 

‘‘Bully!” exclaimed Thad, after his custom- 
ary breezy fashion, while Maurice nodded his 
head and smiled, to let the old planter under- 
stand how glad he was to learn of the step he 
had taken. 

And so their thoughts were more or less sad 
as they said good night. 


280 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER XXV. 

ADRIFT IN A NOETHER 

The boys had come prepared to stay a week 
and here twice that had passed before they 
could tear themselves away. 

Maurice knew that they dared not linger 
longer, though the planter had suggested that 
they stay until a day or so of the time when 
Uncle Ambrose was expected in New Orleans, 
when they could speed thither on a train. 

Somehow the boys felt that, as they had 
started to reach the Crescent City by means 
of the great river and the opportunity would 
doubtless never come their way again, they 
had better stick to their original contract. 

Besides, they had numerous things on the 
little shantyboat that they would not like to 
lose, and then there was Dixie, too, the little 
dog for whom they had begun to entertain a 
warm feeling. 

So on the whole they concluded to go 
back the way they had come, as a wagon was 
bound for the landing to take some hired hands 
away. 

So much had happened to them while at 
the plantation that it seemed as though they 
were leaving a home when they said good-bye 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


281 


to the family on the lawn in front of the big 
white veranda, about which the wistaria vines 
grew so luxuriantly. 

‘‘You must visit us again some time,” said 
Mrs. Buckley, warmly; “and write to us as 
often as you can. Your coming has been a 
delightful thing for all of us, and we’ll miss 
you very much.” 

And as the last good-byes were said and 
back over the old road they went by wagon, 
reaching the river by noon. 

They found everything all right at the boat. 

Dixie was delighted to see them and nearly 
dislocated his stump of a tail, so vigorously 
did he wag that member, as he jumped up and 
down and licked their hands. A dog never 
forgets a kind friend, no matter what time has 
elapsed since last seeing him, and this little 
cur had not known many good masters in his 
past. 

That night they spent in a lagoon about five 
miles above Natchez. 

Really, it was like old times to be aboard 
the shantyboat again, and cooking their own 
supper, not that they had not enjoyed eating 
at the plantation, for it had been the best in 
their whole lives, but there was a sort of fas- 
cination about this gypsy existence that 
seemed to just suit their natures. 


282 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


Maurice declared they must have a good bit 
of the vagabond spirit in them from the nu- 
merous exclamations of delight both of them 
gave utterance to as they discussed the simple 
fare on that first occasion of sitting down to 
their own table. 

Of course, they had invested a fair portion 
of their wages in things they would need, such 
as tea, coffee, sugar, condensed milk, eggs, 
butter, bacon, grits, rice and some other 
things. 

Then again, when they opened the package 
that had been put aboard by the overseer, at 
the express orders of Mr. Buckley to their de- 
light they found it to contain a lovely home- 
cured ham as well as other things, such as a 
couple of chickens. 

Say, we’re just pigs in clover, that’s what ! ” 
exclaimed Thad, as he bent over to smell of 
that sugar-cured ham, and allow a look of de- 
licious anticipation to steal over his face. 

‘^At any rate the question of supplies has 
been settled for all the time we’ll be on the 
raging flood. After Uncle Ambrose comes 
there’ll be no more need of our worrying,” re- 
sponded his mate. 

That was the way it went — after Uncle Am- 
brose comes; just as if the captain of that 
tramp steamer might be a Santa Claus who 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


283 


was going to pile their stockings full of good 
things. 

Perhaps he was — the indications strongly 
pointed that way, and Maurice had faith to 
believe him the genuine article, unadulterated. 

When they had put Natchez behind them 
the boys believed they had entered upon the 
last leg of their long cruise, even if it did cover 
some of the most difficult parts of the trip. 

The further they got down the river the 
greater the volume of water, and its attendant 
perils — at times it looked as though they were 
afloat upon an inland sea and only that steady 
current gave indication of the fact that it was 
a river, with a constant flow toward the ocean. 

For several days they had a hard time of it. 

The banks were low and marshy, affording 
poor holding places, so that they frequently 
found themselves hard pushed as to how they 
might keep from being dragged down in that 
insatiable current during the hours of dark- 
ness. 

But two wide-awake boys like these were 
not going to allow anything to daunt them 
while they had their vats about, and each sep- 
arate trouble was taken by the throat and 
throttled ere it could accomplish much harm. 

On one occasion they came near having a 
disaster that had it taken place must have 


284 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


changed their plan of campaign entirely, since 
they would have been left without a vessel 
on which to continue their inland voyage. 

As before, it happened during the preva- 
lence of a storm, and when those wide waters 
chose to kick up and make a fuss a little mite 
of a shantyboat was like a cork upon a vast 
lake. 

They had been unfortunate in their selec- 
tion of a stopping place that night, because 
none happened in sight between three in the 
afternoon and dark; so that it was a case of 
necessity that compelled them to hang out on 
an exposed spot, trusting to luck that a storm 
would not catch them there. 

But it did. 

And Thad humbly confessed that it came 
without consulting the ‘‘weather sharp in 
the least; for he gave no warning. 

So furious did the wind and waves beat upon 
the little boat that there was constant danger 
of something giving way; and the boys “slept 
on their arms,” so to speak, all night, ready to 
jump up and get outdoors at the first warning 
of an impending catastrophe. 

Still, they managed to hold their own until 
about an hour or so of dawn, when a gust of 
wind that must have been a breath of a hurri- 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


285 


cane struck the bow end of the boat, coming 
directly from the north. 

There was a loud snap, and the boat began 
to wobble up and down like a crazy thing, 
whirling around as if in a waltz; and like 
magic the buzzing sound of the howling gale 
seemed to cease, for they were now going 
with it! 

Both boys sprang erect as if galvanized. 

They had kept a lantern burning as a pre- 
caution, and it was not quite so bad as if pos- 
itive darkness had surrounded them, for these 
things always seem doubly alarming when met 
in gloom. 

‘‘WeVe broken loose from our moorings, 
and the boat’s spinning down the river in the 
midst of a howling gale!” cried Maurice, look- 
ing as his comrade aghast. 

‘^What can we doT’ gasped Thad, ready to 
attempt anything his chum suggested, but un- 
able to think of a remedy under the excite- 
ment of the moment. 

Fortunately Maurice managed to regain his 
good sense, and he knew that it was utterly 
impossible to stop the passage of the boat 
while this blackness rested over the scene. 

‘‘Wait until I see what time it is,” he said, 
calmly; and his manner as well as his words 
gave Thad new confidence. 


286 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


‘‘In about an hour it will be daylight. Then 
we’ve just got to keep things running about 
that long. Bundle up here, and we’ll go out- 
side and see if it’s possible to steer the boat 
in all this racket. 

They shut Dixie in the cabin where he 
barked and whined incessantly, anxious to be 
with them; but there was always a chance 
that the little fellow might be carried away 
on a comber that broke over the boat, and so 
he was safe inside. 

Besides, the situation was that desperate as 
to require the attention of both constantly, 
and they could not be bothered looking after 
a dog, no matter how much they cared for the 
little beast. 

“Can you see the land?” shouted Maurice, 
as they stood there on the reeling deck, each 
holding on with one hand, and meaning to use 
the steering oar with the other once they got 
their bearings. 

“It ought to be this way, but I don’t seem 
to get a squint of anything,” replied the other. 

“You’re wrong — it should be here. Never 
mind the position of the boat, for she’s turning 
constantly. The wind is from the north and 
the water runs in this direction, which is south. 
There ! I had a glimpse of a tree top against the 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


287 


dark sky. Put her over this way, Thad, for 
all you’re worth!” 

Both threw their weight on the sweep and 
began to madly push and pull, for the situation 
was worthy of their best efforts; once let the 
little craft drift out one hundred yards from 
shore and the chances were strongly against 
its ever being brought back again — a big wave 
would overturn it, and leave the poor navi- 
gators floundering in the wild sea of waters, 
probably to drown. 

At first it seemed as though all their efforts 
had no more effect than to hold the boat from 
going further; though this was good, it could 
not save them, as they must soon become ex- 
hausted at this rate, but presently Maurice 
shouted that he believed they were really gain- 
ing, as the trees seemed more distinct when he 
caught another glimpse of their tops. 

Thus encouraged, they worked wildly, and 
in the course of ten minutes, during which 
they thought twice all was over, as the boat 
careened on her side, only to right again, they 
had drawn in so close to the land that in the 
end they were enabled to take advantage of 
a bayou that suddenly opened up alongside, 
behind the shelter of which headland they 
found a snug harbor. 

It took them hours to get rested after their 


288 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


frantic labors; indeed, Maurice, not quite so 
hardened to such things as his chum, actually 
felt the effects of that strain for a week; and 
as for the memory of that exciting hour, it 
would never fade from his mind. 

They were now in Louisiana indeed, having 
left the border of Mississippi two days back; 
and it seemed as though their haven was in 
sight, though many miles still lay between 
them and the Crescent City. 

As there were two more weeks before the 
time the steamer was expected in port, they 
did not mean to hurry, since it would cost more 
to stay in the city than on the shantyboat, 
with no' one to see and comment on their 
primitive methods of housekeeping. 

Perhaps Maurice wondered what they would 
do should Uncle Ambrose disappoint them and 
fail to return to New Orleans; but he was not 
one to cross bridges before coming to them, 
and somehow he had such supreme faith in 
this relative that he would not allow himself 
to harbor a single doubt. At the worst both he 
and Thad were stout and able to work, so there 
should be no great difficulty in making a 
living. 

On the fourth of February they reached 
Baton Eouge, with eleven days still to carry 
them to their destination — they were less than 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


289 


a hundred miles from New Orleans as the crow 
flies, but much more than that as the great 
river winds in and out; but it looked as though 
they ought to make it under a week. 

So they shook hands over the successful out- 
come of their long voyage thus far, and pre- 
pared to enter upon the last lap of the course. 


290 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

A NIGHT IN A LOUISIANA SWAMP. 

A few days after this Maurice had an idea. 

They were so far ahead of their time that 
it w^ould not matter if they spent a day or two 
investigating something he had always wanted 
to see, and which up to this hour he had to be 
satisfied with fleeting glimpses of as they 
drifted past. 

This was a genuine Louisiana swamp. 

It was true that the opportunities would 
have been much more plentiful farther up the 
river, before reaching Baton Rouge, for the 
land was now pretty much given up to rice, 
cotton and sugarcane; still, occasionally they 
passed a stretch of exceeding wild land, and 
as this happened about the middle of one after- 
noon Maurice found himself sorely tempted. 

He put the case to his chum, and as Thad 
was always ready to take up anything that 
promised excitement, with perhaps a tinge of 
danger, the question was speedily settled. 

They would stay. 

So Maurice eagerly kept watch for an open- 
ing whereby they might be put in touch with 
the spectacle they so earnestly wished to see. 

‘‘Here’s a bayou opening up that looks 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


291 


promising. Look at that background with the 
trailing moss on the trees — seems to me as if 
that might cover the case he exclaimed, turn- 
ing the shantyboat closer toward the shore in 
order that if it were decided to take advan- 
tage of the find they would not have too much 
difficulty in making the cut. 

‘‘Just what we want!” cried Thad, seizing 
one of the poles and making such a savage 
sweep for the bottom in order to assist navi- 
gate the boat that he came within an ace of 
falling overboard, for the river proved to be 
very deep where he imagined it to be shallow, 
and only by dropping the pole and grasping 
hold of the gunwhale was he enabled to keep 
aboard the Tramp. 

Maurice laughed at the comical figure his 
friend presented, and then recovered the set- 
ting pole before it could float away, for these 
things were really indispensable at times, and 
they could not afford to lose one. 

Once out of the current it was easily man- 
aged, for the back water helped draw them 
into an eddy that in turn floated them along 
the border of the swamp. 

“Here, if we’re going to penetrate into this 
dismal place at all we must first make sure of 
the way out. - It would be a pretty tough ex- 
perience if we got lost now and overstayed 


292 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


our time, so that when we did get to the city 
it would be to find Uncle Ambrose had come 
and gone,” exclaimed Maurice. 

^‘Not that above all things. If you think 
there’s any danger perhaps we’d better not 
take the chances,” declared Thad, nervously. 

They had been building great hopes on the 
wonderful things this relative of Maurice was 
to do for them and even the mere suspicion 
that they might not materialize gave both lads 
a feeling of dismay. 

‘‘Oh, that’s all right; we can fix it easy 
enough. See here, let’s fasten this bit of cloth 
to this bush that hangs right out over the 
water. We can see that for quite a way, and 
before it’s out of sight we’ll fix another after 
the same fashion. These will give us a marked 
channel that nobody but a fool could miss,” 
and he suited the action to his words. 

“Great idea,” commented Thad, looking 
pleased. 

They spent about half an hour going in and 
Maurice was positive they could get out in just 
as short a time when they were ready. 

He did want very much to spend just one 
night in a genuine swamp, something he had 
never really visited, though he had heard much 
about their curious inhabitants, and was not 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


293 


unfamiliar with the discomforts one might ex- 
pect to find there. 

How’s this*?” he asked, looking around at 
the gloomy spectacle, for the trees met over- 
head, and were so thickly draped with funereal 
Spanish moss that very little light streaked 
through, so that even at midday the place 
would have pretty much the appearance of 
twilight. 

A tremendous splash followed his words and 
turning quickly they saw the dark water vio- 
lently agitated as though some large creature 
had taken a dive from the low bank. 

“What under the sun was that?” exclaimed 
Thad. 

“I just had the slightest peek at something 
as it went in and couldn’t say for sure, as I 
never saw one growing wild, but I think it 
was an alligator,” replied the other, eagerly 
watching to see if any further developments 
occurred. 

“What’s that yonder on the water?” asked 
Thad in a hoarse whisper, pointing carefully 
as he spoke to what seemed very likely a couple 
of pine knots some ten inches apart and which 
did not move. 

“Say, do you know I really believe that’s 
the identical chap, watching us to see who we 
are and what we mean to do. I’ve read that 


294 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


when they come to the surface only their eyes 
stick out of the water, for they’re located like 
a couple of bumps above the rest of the head, 
perhaps for that very purpose. Well, I’ll soon 
settle the question — ^watch!” 

Maurice threw something in the direction 
of the supposed pine knots and immediately 
they vanished, sinking out of sight before their 
very eyes. 

‘‘It was a ’gator!” exclaimed Thad, falling 
into the manner of speech of the natives when 
the saurians are under discussion; for they 
had heard more or less talk about the doings 
of these scaly reptiles ever since striking the 
lower Mississippi. 

“Well, we’ve seen a ’gator, at any rate. Per- 
haps we’ll have the pleasure of hearing one 
bellow before tomorrow morning. I’d just 
like to say I’d had that experience, for once,” 
remarked Maurice. 

If he had ever passed a night in a Florida 
swamp where the alligators were plentiful he 
would never express such a wish again dur- 
ing the whole course of his life, for there are 
times when they make sleep almost impossible, 
though as a rule their bellowing is fierciest to- 
ward peep of dawn. 

The shantyboat was securely warped to a 
couple of trees, and the dinky used to explore 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


295 


the immediate neighborhood; but they were 
careful never to lose sight of the home craft, 
for fear of becoming mixed in their bearings 
and finding themselves lost in the swamp. 

‘^Say, I’d hate to be drifting around in a 
place like this without knowing in which direc- 
tion ‘out’ lay. Generally a fellow can keep 
track of the points of the compass, but when 
you don’t see the sky and there seems to be 
no marks on the trees like the moss we have 
up north, how could you decide just where the 
old river lay?” demanded Thad, as they 
prowled around, poking into everything they 
came across in search of information. 

Maurice laughed and pulled something out 
of his pocket. 

“Catch me wandering around in an un- 
known swamp without some way of getting 
out again in case we did lose sight of the boat. 
Now, we chance to know the river’s to the 
west of us, and this little boy will tell you 
where west is.” 

He held up a small compass which Thad 
remembered. 

“You’re the bright one; you’re all to the 
good. Why, of course, to be sure; but who’d 
ever think of asking Major Buckley for that 
thing but you ? It never entered my head that 
we’d need a compass when we floated down 


296 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


the old Mississippi, for I thought all you had 
to do was to just keep on drifting until you 
came slap bang up against New Orleans. I 
can see now how useful that would have been 
if we’d wandered into one of these tempting 
cut-offs above and didn’t know how to get out 
again. But, compass or no compass, if it’s 
all the same to you count me out when it 
comes to getting lost in this awful hole. Ugh ! 
there ain’t a decent place to sleep unless a 
fellow curled up on some of these twisters 
of roots that stick out of the water. What 
kind of trees are these, with the top-boot roots, 
Maurice? Seems to me I never met up with 
the species before.” 

‘‘Cypress trees. These bent roots you speak 
of are mighty valuable things to the builder 
of small boats, as he gets most of the knees 
out of them,” returned his comrade, readily 
enough. 

“Oh, I see; then he needs them, eh? Well, 
it’s getting rather dark here, and if so be 
you’re willing I vote that we go back to our 
jolly old boat and sling together some grub.” 

“You’re in a big hurry, my boy. It lacks 
more than an hour to our usual supper time. 
The gloom under these trees deceives one. 
What effect would it have on anybody to al- 
ways live in this atmosphere? I’d think it 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


297 


would make them gloomy and ugly, never see- 
ing the sun or meeting up with other people.” 

‘‘Excuse me, if you please. A squint or two 
and I’ve had enough. One night will satisfy 
yours truly. But all the same I can see that 
a place like this would be a bully one to inves- 
tigate for many queer things — for those who 
like that kind of work. It don’t happen to 
be in my line, though. There’s the boat, thank 
goodness, and no floating around in that den 
of horrors all night for this crowd.” 

Even Maurice was well satisfled to climb 
aboard again and have some firm footing un- 
der him. 

As there was nothing else to do, they lighted 
the lantern and then set about preparations 
for the evening meal. 

Things seemed more cheery when the gloom 
was dissipated by even the feeble glow of the 
lantern, and after the odors of cooking began 
to ascend, the boys forgot all about their re- 
cent shivery feeling while poking around the 
spooky place. 

There was one open space where they could 
see the sky, and from the indications Maurice 
judged that it was sunset, for certain fleecy 
clouds began to assume a brilliant hue. 

While he lay there on deck, cracking at the 
mosquitoes that began to make their appear- 


298 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


ance and watching those bright clouds, he be- 
came aware of the fact that birds seemed to be 
passing over that opening, all heading one 
way, and that deeper into the swamp. 

‘^Now, IVe heard of that,” he said to him- 
self, sitting up to take notice; ‘‘and I reckon 
those are either cranes or herons making for 
some bird roost. But much as I’d like to see 
such a place, nothing could tempt me to take 
the plunge into that unknown den of horrors. 
If I had a guide it would be different; but 
there’s too much at stake just now to take 
chances. It must be interesting, though.” 

He could presently distinguish the cranes 
from the herons, and several times another 
bird would fly along, or a group of the same, 
which Maurice, having some knowledge of the 
feathered inhabitants of these Southern 
morasses, decided must be white ibis. 

Then the opening gradually closed as night 
crept on and he was aroused from his medi- 
tations by hearing Thad beating on a tinpan, 
the usual call to supper. 

“Say, there’s skeeters in here all right,” 
announced the cook, as he made a vigorous 
slap in the direction of his ear while occupied 
in eating. 

‘ ‘ Oh, I found that out some time ago. W e ’ll 
have to use that cheese cloth net I brought 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


299 


along and be mighty glad weVe got the same. 
I never was partial to the little pests, and 
they do like to gouge me so. They tell me that 
people who live all the year round in the South 
suffer very little; their blood becomes thin 
and the bites never swell up as they do 
with us. I think that must be pretty fine, for 
they do itch to beat the band,’’ and Maurice 
rubbed his ear ruefully. 

When supper had been finished and the 
things cleared up the boys sat out on the deck 
to listen to the sounds that arose from the 
neighboring swamp, many of them unfamiliar 
to their ears. 

And for once Maurice was glad to cuddle 
up close to his chum while Thad puffed at his 
old pipe with the dignity of a drum major, 
for the tobacco smoke seemed to drive the 
pesky little insects away. 

They talked of many things as they sat there 
— memories of the early days of the long 
cruise, and the adventures that had befallen 
them in the upper reaches of the river; and 
last though not least, the pleasant visit they 
had to the plantation of the genial Mr. Simon 
Buckley, together with the various things that 
had happened while they remained guests un- 
der his roof. 

The night chanced to be somewhat warm so 


300 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


that the chorus of noises emanating from the 
depths of the swamp was of pretty fair pro- 
portions — ^while they could place some of the 
sounds, for the main part they were of a 
mysterious origin, to them and Maurice gave 
up in despair trying to decide what could make 
such weird groanings and gruntings and 
squawkings. 

But not once did they catch a sound after 
the bellow of a bull, which they had been told 
distinguished the roar of the alligator. 

And finally they fixed their bunks with the 
mosquito net, crawled inside, and were soon 
lost to all earthly troubles and mysteries. 

Thad was dreaming of something pleasant 
when he felt himself violently agitated as if 
some one were shaking him. 

‘‘Hey, what’s doing?” he asked, only half 
awake, and unable to immediately understand 
where he was, or the conditions surrounding 
him. 

“Listen, Thad !” said a voice which he recog- 
nized as that of his chum ; and then it flashed 
over him where they had taken up their quar- 
ters for the night. 

A tremulous and deep sound broke on Thad’s 
ear, some distance away — it was like the roar 
of the surf beating on the ocean shore. 

“Say, I heard that once when I half woke 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


301 


up; but I guess I must have thought it was 
you snoring, and went to sleep again. Is that 
bull ’gator using his bazoo? It ain’t so very 
much, after all, is it?” he remarked, and pro- 
ceeded to settle down again for another nap. 

After all Thad was a matter-of-fact chap, 
and did not allow anything to knock him out of 
his sleep or his regular meals. 

Maurice lay awake a long time listening to 
the sonorous sounds, and picturing in his 
mind’s eye the big chap who gave utterance to 
the bellow, as he lay on some sedgy band, and 
uttered defiance. 

Then he, too, went into the land of dreams. 

When he awoke he felt that he had had 
enough sleep, yet to all appearances it was not 
time to get up; but remembering where they 
were he consulted his little nickel watch and 
found that it was long after sunrise. 

^^Here, get up, lazy-bones — it’s half past 
seven and nothing done. We want to pull out 
of this during the morning; that is, unless 
you’d like to hang around for a week and in- 
vestigate things more?” he cried, and Thad 
came tumbling out with a wild look on his face. 

^ ^ Gee ! I ’m glad you woke me when you did. 
I was just dreaming that big ’gator crawled 
aboard here and was pulling me out of my 
bunk. He’d have got me sure if you hadn’t 


302 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


scared him away when you shouted. Excuse 
me from staying here another night — not for 
Joseph. We beat it as soon as breakfast is 
over,’^ he remarked, with an energetic shake of 
the head. 

Maurice himself was just as willing to go, 
for he could not but feel more or less nervous 
about their getting to the big city ahead of 
time. Something might happen to bring the 
steamer in before the date set, and hasten her 
departure ; so it would seem that policy should 
dictate their making for their destination now 
with all ordinary speed. 

The fever of the home-stretch was upon him, 
and once that seizes hold there is nothing that 
will do but giving in. 

So when the deck was cleared they began to 
go back over the trail that had been made by 
the white pieces of cloth; it was very easy 
work, and more than once Thad loudly compli- 
mented his chum on his forethought in thus 
preparing for the return. 

And when through the last of the swampy 
border they finally had a sight of the vast 
stretch of open water, fiowing majestically 
southward, both of the boys raised a shout of 
joy. 

It was as if they had been away from an old 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


303 


friend a very long time ; such was the depres- 
sion caused by the gloomy swamp, and the re- 
action that took place when they once more 
came into God’s generous sunlight. 


304 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


CHAPTER XXVn 

SHIPMATES FOE A BOUND THE WOELD CEUISE 

Each passing day presented some new and 
attractive feature along the banks of the great 
river; and under other conditions Maurice 
would have been delighted to go ashore and 
witness the operation of grinding sugarcane, 
or baling cotton where the cotton gin worked. 
But these things would have to keep until an- 
other occasion, for destiny now beckoned to 
the two lads, and they felt that their fortunes 
were wrapped up in this anticipated meeting 
with the old sailor. 

On the twelfth of February, at two in the 
afternoon, they arrived at the upper stretch of 
the river metropolis, and from that time on 
they kept fully on the alert so as to avoid a 
collision with some passing boat. 

At the same time they were also looking for 
a certain boatyard, to which they had been 
recommended by Mr. Buckley, who knew the 
proprietor well, and for whom a letter was 
reposing in the pocket of Maurice’s coat. 

Luckily this boatyard was near the upper 
part of the city, so that they did not have to 
pass along the entire water front, in constant 
danger of a spill from the many vessels moving 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


305 


about, great tows of coal barges such as they 
had seen on the river many times, ocean steam- 
ers, ferry boats, sailboats and numerous other 
river craft propelled by steam, gasoline or 
sails. 

The proprietor of the boatyard looked at 
them a bit suspiciously as they drew the un- 
gainly craft that had served them as a home 
during the long cruise, into his pocket;” but 
upon reading the letter Maurice presented his 
face changed in its expression and he shook 
hands with both lads heartily. 

And thus early in their experience in the 
world our boys realized what a splendid thing 
it is at any and all times to have a friend at 
court, ready to speak a good work in one’s 
favor. 

They could tie up in the yard, and he would 
see to keeping the shantyboat with some 
things aboard, to be given to their friend. Bob 
Archiable, when he arrived. 

And yet Maurice and his friend looked at 
the Tramp with regret in their eyes when they 
were saying good-by to the craft; for they 
had enjoyed many good times aboard the faith- 
ful little floating home since leaving the In- 
diana town, and would have many pleasant 
memories in the dim future to look back upon. 

Mr. Buckley had insisted upon Maurice tak- 


306 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


ing the little snapshot camera along with him 
when he departed, saying that he had ordered 
a larger and more expensive one; and that it 
was worth it to be shown how to develop and 
print in the clever manner Maurice had done. 

So, as there was a roll of film in the camera, 
Maurice had used it in taking pictures of the 
boat and Dixie while they were floating down- 
stream; and if these turned out well they 
would always have a reminder of their staunch 
craft and the little yellow cur that had helped 
to brighten the voyage, now given over to the 
friendly boat builder, who had conceived a 
fancy for him. 

But that night they spent in their old quar- 
ters, getting things in shape for a move in the 
morning, when they expected to find some 
boarding place where they could put up until 
the arrival of the Campertown, 

It was one of the worst nights of the trip, 
for the sounds that came to them from the 
city streets were so strange to their ears that, 
as Thad declared, they seemed to be near some 
boiler factory. Of course this was mostly 
because they had been off by themselves for 
months, and the night meant a time of solemn 
silence, save for the murmur of the wind 
through the trees, or the splash of the waves 
upon the shore, or against the side of the boat. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


307 


When day came both boys felt a bit rocky, 
having rested wretchedly; but after fixing up 
and sallying forth they found a restaurant 
where the demands of the inner man could be 
satisfied, and then things began to assiune a 
brighter aspect in their eyes. 

Maurice purchased a paper and looked up 
the nautical news to see whether the steamer 
of his uncle had arrived, or was spoken outside 
the mouth of the river. 

To his delight he discovered that she was ex- 
pected on the following morning, and during 
the day he and Thad found their way to the 
identical spot where the Campertown would 
be apt to lay up when releasing her cargo and 
taking on another. 

They spent the better part of the day in 
seeing the city, now in holiday attire, for it 
was the last of the Mardi Gras festivities, as 
Lent was close at hand. 

That night was a banner one to the two lads, 
who had never been in a great city before, and 
especially at a time when the whole population 
seemed to have given itself up to gaiety. 

They spent the time upon the streets until 
past midnight, watching the fioats go by in 
gorgeous procession, and mixing up with the 
festive maskers bent upon having all the fun 


308 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


possible, since tomorrow they must begin to 
mourn. 

Thoroughly tired out, our boys finally said 
good-by to these riotous sounds and hied away 
to the quiet house where they had a room. 
Once abed there was no need on this night to 
toss and turn, for they hardly hit the pillow 
before they lost all track of time and were 
sound asleep. 

Another dawn found them up and eager to 
get down to the river. 

They could hardly wait to get their break- 
fast before putting out at full speed. 

The steamer had come in during the night, 
and with emotions that would be indeed dif- 
ficult to define they read the word Camper- 
town. 

How big she looked to them — for they had 
never seen anything larger than a river steam- 
boat until the preceding day; and to think that 
this palatial vessel (for such the tramp ap- 
peared in their eyes) might be their home for 
months, yes, years to come. 

Maurice boldly asked for the captain, and 
was told that he was asleep, and on no condi- 
tion could he be seen until ten; so they had to 
content themsielves with wandering around 
and talking about what the chances were for 
success. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULP. 


309 


Thad was very nervous, for it must be un- 
derstood that as yet good Uncle Ambrose did 
not even know that such a fellow existed on 
earth, and his future was, to say the least, 
uncertain. 

The possibility of being separated by a cruel 
fate from this chum whom he loved so well 
was beginning to give Thad a heartache; and 
his hands trembled in spite of his smiling face, 
every time he looked at Maurice. 

The time that elapsed until the hour of ten 
arrived was about as weary a stretch as either 
of our lads ever knew; indeed, Thad afterward 
declared that it was worse than on the occa- 
sion when they had to put in an hour of dread- 
ful suspense in the cabin of the shantyboat 
while the storm raged on the river, and it was 
doubtful whether they would ever see day- 
light again. 

But finally the time came for them to go 
aboard; and mustering their courage to the 
fore they went up the gang plank. 

A sailor directed them to the captain’s room 
and here Maurice discovered a big man in a 
uniform, whose bearded face had a kindly 
look, and who at his entrance jumped up, 
stared at him a couple of seconds and then 
pounced upon him like a great grizzly bear, 
grasping both his hands and roaring: 


310 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


‘‘Jim’s boy for all the world — ^the very 
image of his dad as I remember him. I’m 
mighty glad to see you, Maurice, and at first 
sight I know we’re going to get on fine to- 
gether. And you’re come down to go with old 
Uncle Ambrose to foreign ports, eh? That’s 
great. I tell you this does me good, just to see 
you, lad. I’ve been getting kind of homesick 
lately — ought to have been ashamed of myself 
for not looking you up sooner; but a fellow 
who’s in all parts of the world loses his grip 
on things sometimes; but never mind, I’m go- 
ing to make it up to you from now on. But 
who’s this with you, son?” 

That made the desired opening; so Thad was 
introduced as the finest fellow in all the world, 
and before Maurice knew it he had launched 
out on a narrative of their long cruise down 
the great river, in which Thad had borne him- 
self as a true American boy should, always 
ready to take his turn at duty, never shirking 
peril or stress, and cooking the most delightful 
meals that anybody ever ate. 

Captain Haddon’s eyes gleamed with humor 
as he heard the virtues of the modest Thad 
thus extolled to the skies; he knew what was 
coming, but it pleased him to keep the boys 
on the anxious seat a while, for this was a 
very amusing happening to the old salt. 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


311 


And then, when they told how they had 
spent a week and more with his old ‘‘hunky” 
Simon Buckley, he was intensely interested; 
whereupon Maurice saw fit to bring out the 
letter of recommendation wherein the said 
Simon declared that Thad was certainly a 
good, conscientious carpenter, and he could 
wager his old friend would never regret it if 
he saw fit to give the lad a chance on board 
his vessel. 

Then the captain looked at Thad, sizing him 
up from the crown of his head to his toes, after 
which he thrust out his hand and said heartily: 

“Tip us your fin, Thad, my lad. It would 
be cruelty to separate two such good shanty- 
boat mates as you. I’ll find something for 
you to do aboard, and by thunder you’ll see 
the world together. That cruise was immense, 
and I’d have enjoyed nothing better myself 
than to have been along with you. I expect to 
hear many a yarn concerning those happen- 
ings as we sail across the big pond; for our 
next port call is going to be Liverpool, where 
we take on a cargo for Australia, and then to 
Japan, so you see before you’re a year older 
both of you may have gone almost around the 
world; for we’re likely to bring up at ’Frisco. 
Thad, consider that you’re as good as booked 
for the trip. And now go about your business 


312 


THE HOUSE BOAT BOYS; 


for a time. Here, Maurice, take this little 
amount for expenses, and be back on board by 
evening. Tomorrow I’ll start you in at your 
work under my present man, who is quitting 
us by the time we leave Orleans.” 

Maurice could hardly find words to thank 
him, and Thad was in the same boat; but then 
the old sea-dog understood boys, and he knew 
just how they felt, so that as each of them 
shook hands with him and looked mutely in 
his face he only grinned and nodded and said : 

know all about it, lads, how you feel. But 
you’ve made me happier than you are your- 
selves. I was beginning to get into a rut, and 
seemed to have nothing to live for. The sight 
of you, my boy, has made me ten years 
younger. Run along now, and don’t get into 
any mischief; but I can see with one eye that 
neither of you have any use for grog, and 
there’s little chance for trouble when that is 
avoided.” 

They went ashore with light hearts; indeed, 
it seemed as though they must be treading on 
air, and they could hardly refrain from hug- 
ging each other, the world looked so bright 
in their eyes. 

It was a ten dollar bill the rugged old cap- 
tain had thrust into the hand of Maurice; and 
one of the first things he did was to go to a 


OR, A VOYAGE TO THE GULF. 


313 


photographer and have some prints made of 
the films exposed during the latter part of 
the voyage; for already he was feeling some 
signs of homesickness in connection with the 
poor old Tramp, and desirous of showing his 
uncle what a ‘‘bully old fioater’’ she was, as 
Thad said. 

What they did not do the balance of the 
day would he easier to tell than any attempt 
to describe the many things they saw and ex- 
perienced; but taken in all it was a red letter 
time, never to be forgotten. 

The future beckoned with enticing fingers, 
and the horizon looked red with the glowing 
promise of hope; but at the same time as they 
glanced backward they would always have 
tender feelings for every memory connected 
with that river trip, and the shantyboat on 
which the voyage had been made. 


THE END. 


Boy Scouts 

== SERIES 

EVERY BOY AND GIRL IN THE LAND 

WILL WANT TO READ THESE INTERESTING 
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WRITTEN BY 

That Great Nature Authority and 
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G. HARVEY 
R A L PH SON 

of the Black Bear Patrol 

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1 Boy Scouts in Mexico; 

or. On Guard with Uncle Sam 

2 Boy Scouts in the Canal Zone; 

or. The Plot Against Uncle Sam 

3 Boy Scouts in the Philippines; 

or. The Key to the Treaty 

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or. Fighting Forest Fires 

5 Boy Scouts in a Motor Boat; or. 

Adventures on the Columbia River 

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7 Boy Scouts in a Submarine; 

or. Searching An Ocean Floor 

8 Boy Scouts on Motor Cycles; 

or. With the Flying Squadron 

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6 Hope and Have 

7 In School and Out 

8 Little by Little 

9 Now or Never 


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7 Jack Harkaway’s Escape From the Brigands 

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8 Jack Harkaway’s Adventures Around the World 

9 Jack Harkaway in America and Cuba 

10 Jack Harkaway’s Adventures in China 

11 Jack Harkaway’s Adventures in Greece 

12 Jack Harkaway’s Escape From the Brigands 

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13 Jack Harkaways Adventures in Australia 

14 Jack Harkaway and His Boy Tinker 

15 Jack Harkaway’s Boy Tinker Among the Turks 

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0 


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Works of 

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AUTHOR OF 

Boys of '76 — Boys of *61 



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WOODCRAFT 

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By OWEN JONES and MARCUS WOODMAN 

With a Message to Boy Scouts by SIR BADEN- 

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r I I 1 

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